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Child safety seat warning
A GRANDMOTHER is calling for action to improve child safety seats after her two-year-old granddaughter unlocked herself and climbed into the front of her car as it was travelling at 50mph.
Sharon Thornhill is demanding changes to child seats because she says the majority can be easily unfastened by children – with possible fatal consequences.
Hartlepool trading standards officials have also raised their concerns and have called on the Government to enforce changes.
Mrs Thornhill's calls for action come after she was driving along the A689 in Hartlepool at 50mph when two-year-old granddaughter Jessica Kightly appeared stood up next to her tugging on her arm.
The 43-year-old mum of two, from the town's Ashgrove Avenue, said: "I was shocked. It was a complete surprise and I am horrified this could happen. You can't keep an eye on children while you're driving, it's impossible. You need to be able to trust a child seat and too many are simply too easy for children to unlock.
"If anything had happened while she was stood it could have been a catastrophe."
The incident happened on Saturday, June 27, when Mrs Thornhill was driving and her husband Harry, 56, who works as a welder, was in the front passenger seat.
Mr Thornhill, who has three children from a previous relationship, held Jessica while his wife pulled the Citroen Picasso over to put her safely back in the seat.
They notified Hartlepool trading standards officers, who have examined the seat and are now calling for stronger safety devices on all child seats. Principal officer Michael Welsh said: "There are really no controls on how easy it is to unlock the device. This woman was driving down the road when the child unlocked it herself.
"If someone is on the motorway flying down the road at 70mph and a child suddenly gets out when the adult is not looking there could be an accident and the child could go anywhere in any direction."
Trading standards officers have now contacted the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills over the issue.
Mr Welsh said: "We think there should be some safety device that doesn't stop you getting the child in and out quickly, but stops accidentally or intentionally opening it up themselves.
"You could see disastrous results if they do. It is all about peace of mind.
"There are so many seats on the market covering a wide age range and it seems the majority seem to use similar safety devices."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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Wind direction: North east
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