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Child car seat experts will soon be at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service stations to carry out free safety checks.

This follows the success of a 'Fit Safe, Sit Safe' trial held during Child Safety Week in June by the Fire and Rescue Service in partnership with the West Sussex County Council's Road Safety Team, Adur, Arun & Worthing Primary Care Trust's Child Accident Prevention Team, and Dial a Hubby, a Worthing-based company that has wide-ranging technical expertise.

There were 81 serious injuries, including one death, as a direct result of incorrectly fitted child car seats or restraints in West Sussex during 2003-04.

"The aim is to reduce the number of children needlessly injured in car accidents by ill-fitting seats," says Community Fire Safety Officer Roger Wood . "The sight of a young child injured in a vehicle accident can be a traumatic time for everyone. Ultimately the aim is to ensure all child car seats in West Sussex are fitted correctly, and this is just one of many ways we might achieve that

"By prior appointment, parents will take their vehicles and car seats into fire stations and the specially trained fitters from Dial-a-Hubby will make sure the seat is fitted correctly and suitable for both the child and the car."

Gill Starkey , County Council Road Safety Officer, said the wide choice of child car seats can lead to confusion. "It is easy to be persuaded by so-called 'special offers' or even by the look of a seat, forgetting that the make of vehicle it's going into and the height and weight of the child who will use it are actually the most vital statistics," she said.

"It is also tempting to accept used ones offered by well-meaning friends, or buy them second-hand at a fraction of the full cost. However, if a car seat's history is unknown - or even if it merely happens to be the wrong type for the child or the car - such a 'saving' could prove a fatal error."

Andrea Donnelly , Specialist Health Visitor for Child Accident Prevention for the Primary Care Trust, said: "The use of a correctly-fitted restraint reduces the likelihood of a serious injury or fatality to a child in a car crash by as much as 75 per cent. In a recent safety check in the county, it was found that almost half the seats tested were either unsafe or incorrectly installed.

"It is vitally important parents follow manufacturer's installation instructions to the letter and - no matter how rushed they are - take the time before every trip to make absolutely sure that the seat has not worked loose."

Stephen Murray , Managing Director of Dial-a-Hubby, said the 'Safe, Sit Safe' initiative matched the company's long-term plans for real community involvement.

"We are proud to be an essential element in this 'Kids Safe' scheme. Our trained operatives are looking forward to contributing to the future in-car safety of all West Sussex children," he said.

The free safety check is available by prior appointment only. To book, phone Gill Starkey on

Pictured top left are: Stephen Murray from Dial-A-Hubby,Station Officer Keith Parvin completing another safety check for a mother and young daughter at Haywards Heath Fire Station