Sir, - The poor and infrequent use of seatbelts and car seats for children in cars is one area that seems to have received little attention in the on-going debate abut road safety.
It is alarming to see the number of children travelling in cars completely unrestrained. Such sights as children climbing around the back of cars or, worse still, children with their heads sticking out through the sun-roof of a moving car are unfortunately all too common on our roads. It is difficult not to wonder how many of the tragic deaths of children on our roads might have been prevented had the children been properly restrained.
We desperately need to educate parents to these dangers through good education programmes, including the hard-hitting advertisements we have seen in connection with drink-driving and seatbelts. We need to ensure that the law on wearing seatbelts is enforced by the Garda. Maybe then we will see a reduction in the number of children killed on our roads. - Yours, etc.,
Michael O'Reilly, Dublin 15.