- Over 700,000 British grandparents admit to not always driving with the correct safety precautions for their grandchildren
- Many grandparents drive over 200 miles per year without their grandchildren buckled in properly
- Three in five grandparents aren’t aware of child seat laws and one in seven don’t always use them
Over 700,000 British grandparents are driving their grandchildren around without following correct safety procedures, according to new research from insurance company LV=.
In a study to understand awareness of child safety rules among older generations, around one in seven (14%) grandparents admit they don’t always follow recommended car seat rules. With grandparents travelling, on average, an extra 216 miles a year to cater to their grandchildren, it means that approximately 151 million miles are driven each year where children are potentially at risk.
Added to this, two in five (39%) grandparents wrongly think a seatbelt is just as safe as a car seat, and over a quarter (26%) of those with a grandchild aged between six and nine feel it’s safe to drive without a car seat or booster seat.
“Every day, many grandparents provide invaluable help to their families by providing childcare. This will include countless car journeys and, in light of our new research we feel it’s important to raise awareness of the law and help families understand the importance of it,” said LV= Managing Director of Car Insurance Selwyn Fernandes. “In doing so, we hope to clear up the confusion and ensure grandparents feel more confident that they are driving their grandchildren safely and legally.”
The research comes following a crackdown in the law earlier this year, stating that children must use a car seat until they are aged 12 or have grown above 135cm tall. Three in five of the grandparents surveyed admitted they weren’t aware of the changes to the law, with over half (55%) saying this new knowledge would definitely change their behaviour.
