An informed road user is a safer road user! We too often accept that everyone knows about the importance of seatbelts, child restraints and car seats and then need to be reminded by a road user that the information is not as commonly known or shared with our citizens!
The Arrive Alive website received the following email which emphasizes the need and importance of increased awareness!
Education of Neonatal nurses at St Augustine’s hospitalMessage:
Dear Sirs On approximately 15 June 2017, my granddaughter was discharged from St Augustine’s Hospital, having been born a week earlier. My son wanted to place his baby in the baby car seat but my daughter-in-law felt that the baby would be too uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the Neonatal ICU nurse then advised that it would be fine for my daughter-in-law to hold her baby on her lap in the back seat at which point, my son lost the argument and against his better judgment traveled from St Augustine’s Hospital to home with his baby unrestrained.
As my daughter-in-law’s position had been validated by the Neonatal ICU nurse, she continued insisting that she held her baby in her arms in the back seat whilst traveling. When I learnt about this (probably about a month later), I immediately found some articles to show my son who, by this stage had moved out of the marital home – unfortunately, he is now in the process of divorce.
The ICU nurse probably travels to and from work in a taxi or bus which does not have child restraints and this would be the norm for her. However, her patient had a better, safer and legal option and the nurse was negligent in her advice. Perhaps it would be an idea for Arrive Alive to contact our hospitals to ensure that nurses provide the correct advice in regards to child restraints. Kind regards
Also view:
Child Restraints and Road Safety
