Kidsafe WA Child Car Restraint Services, 10 years on

Kidsafe WA Child Car Restraint Services, 10 years on Wicks, Sue; Leeds, Melita Kidsafe WA In 2001 Kidsafe WA commenced a child car restraint fitting, checking and hire service. In Western Australia, Kidsafe WA is highly regarded for the child car restraint fitting / checking services that it delivers. In the 10 years that the service has been in operation there has been a significant increase in the number of restraints fitted and checked by Kidsafe WA. Some of the factors that have affected or influenced the service in that time include the development of an accredited training course for Type 1 fitters and a state-wide network of Type 1 fitters; the provision of regular free to the community checking days; changes to the laws covering the use of restraints by child passengers. This paper compares the restraint fitting & checking service records from the first 2 years of operation with the most recent 2 years; examines common restraint fitting and usage errors observed at checking services and discusses the effects of other factors, particularly the development of a state-wide network of fitters, has on the growth of the service over the last 10 years.