Plunket and Contact – keeping kiwi kids safe in cars

23 October 2013

Plunket and Contact – keeping kiwi kids safe in cars

Contact Energy has joined with Plunket to help families in need prepare for upcoming changes to child restraint laws with a contribution of $25,000 to Plunket’s car seat service.

From 1 November the mandatory use of child restraints in vehicles will be extended by two years, with all children required to be correctly secured in an approved restraint until their seventh birthday.

To help raise awareness of the law change, a number of Contact Energy funded booster seats were given away this week to families in need in Porirua during a road side checking clinic. A further 300 seats will be given away through initiatives in Northland, South Auckland and East Cape.

The contribution from Contact will also be used to bolster Plunket’s High Deprivation fund. This fund acts as a last resort for families in high need throughout New Zealand who, for whatever reason, don’t qualify for financial support from other agencies. The fund allows Plunket to provide these families with free car seats.

Plunket National Child Safety Advisor, Sue Campbell, says Plunket fully supports the law change but realize that it will place a financial strain on many families.

“Car crashes are one of the biggest dangers to New Zealand children. We have one of the highest child road fatality rates in the OECD. We know that car seats and booster seats save lives.

“Unfortunately, for some families, even a very low rental fee is beyond what they can afford. We believe that every child deserves protection, and this generous gift from Contact Energy is already making a huge difference to families in need” she said.

Contact recently won the Excellence in Health and Safety category at the prestigious Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards.

Tania Palmer, Contact’s General Manager Health, Safety and Environment, said that safety is Contact’s number one priority and they wanted to mark the recent achievement by giving back to a deserving community organisation.

“Plunket is a kiwi icon that does fantastic work to help keep kiwi kids well and safe. I was a Plunket baby and they helped me with my own children. Many of us have a personal connection to Plunket and it's wonderful that Contact is able to support them in some way.

“It was heart-warming to see the smiling faces of families’ when we presented them with new seats, knowing that Contact’s contribution is going to such a great cause.

“With Contact’s focus on health and safety, we thought it was fitting that they receive this contribution. We are a very proud supporter of the Plunket car seat initiative.”

Plunket's car seat service offers a variety of affordable infant and child restraints available for short- and long-term hire and for purchase. Any families in need of assistance are encouraged to contact their local Plunket car seat service.

For more information on about car safety and which type of car seat restraint is best for your child visit http://plunket.org.nz/your-child/safety/car-safety/

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