West Yorkshire dad backs Europe-wide campaign to reduce road casualties
A West Yorkshire dad is backing a new Europe-wide campaign to reduce the number of road collision fatalities and improve awareness of car seat safety.
A West Yorkshire dad is backing a new Europe-wide seatbelt campaign after he almost lost his wife and 2-year-old daughter in a serious road collision.
Steve Scaddan's wife, Tracey, was reversing on to her drive when a car smashed into the rear of the car, sending it spinning 180 degrees.
Mr Scaddan is now calling on all drivers and parents to ensure they are securely fastened in to the car.
Speaking to Radio Aire, Steve said: "I didn't know how badly hurt my wife and daughter would be - my main concern was - are they ok."
"Words can't describe how my mind felt when I heard the news. I tried not to panic - I needed to get home to see them."
"My daughter was strapped into her car seat correctly. We were told by the police that if she wasn't then obviously...well I don't even want to think about what could have happened."
"Adults, children - they should be buckled in safely and securely. Why risk the dangers of fatalities or injuries when it only takes a few seconds to fasten yourself in."
It's as West Yorkshire Police back a Europe-wide campaign aiming to improve road safety and law enforcement on European roads. Its main priority being to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured.
Recent Department for Transport road casualty figures show that there were 54 child deaths in 2015, 1 more than in 2014 and 6 more than in 2013. It has been identified that the majority of car seats across the UK are incorrectly fitted, where two in every three are not fitted properly. This may be contributing to the continuing rise in child road death and injury.
Inspector Joanne Field said; “Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the chance of dying in a collision by 50% if you’re travelling in the front of a vehicle, and 25% if you’re a rear passenger. People travelling in the rear of a vehicle who aren’t wearing a seatbelt could be thrown forward in to the back of the front seats and can increase the fatality rates amongst belted front seat occupants."
"It’s such a simple thing to do, pull the belt over and click in the seatbelt, it only takes seconds – those seconds in securing a seatbelt could save your and your passengers lives, or prevent more serious injuries from happening."
Steve is now campaining to see stricter safety measures on the road where his wife and daughter were hit. He wants to see permanent speed cameras installed and the speed limit lowered to 30mph in the residential area where children live. You can see Steven's petition by clicking here.