UK child restraints statistics revealed

28 February 2015

One in ten children and babies' lives are at risk because they are not belting up, damning new government figures have revealed.

A Department for Transport study revealed how a decline in child seat-belt use coincides with an alarming rise in the number of children being injured in car crashes - and motoring groups believe the two are linked.

Details released earlier this month reveled that child deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads have risen to over 2,000 for the first time in 20 years.

Now, an official study by the Department for Tansport reveals that parents could be failing to ensure their kids are properly secured in their cars.

It revealed that the number of children properly belting up is actually decreasing - down five per cent to 91 in the last five years.

And officials say the drop in child compliance across England and Wales is responsible for the overall decline in the proportion of seat-belt wearers in back-seats.

Children in the 10 to 13 age group are most likely to be 'unrestrained', with more than one in eight of them likely to not be wearing their seat-belt.

Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said, 'Public safety is our priority and it is very concerning to see a decline in seatbelt use among children. As a father I find it worrying that some children are not being properly protected. I urge parents to make sure their children are safe and remember before setting off that seatbelts save lives.'

For further information about child safety restraints please visit the Road Safety Observatory.