Luchemos por la Vida's 30th Anniversary - Kids

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Created: Monday, 29 June 2020 15:27

     Safe kids in cars

     In 1990, kids were happily transported in cars in mom's arms or dad's lap while driving, either in the front seat or loose in the front or rear seats of vehicles. At most, the little ones were sitting in little seats hanging from the seats, that´s to say, flying chairs. Children romped in the seats or even slept on the rear parcel tray, next to the glass. Parents weren´t awared that, in the event of a crash or sudden slowdown, they would fly off against the front windshield or be thrown out of the car to almost a certain death.

     Luchemos por la Vida assumed as a priority to start working on the need of child restraint systems for safer travelling. In graphic media and with our first awareness campaign on TV and radio (1993) we tried to raise awareness about the issue, and place it on the public and political agenda so that it could be legislated. Internationally, there were already provisions and regulatory seats for children to travel safe. In those days, so-called SRI (Child Restraint Systems) had been invented years ago.

TV Campaign 1993

     The new National Traffic Law 24.449/94 established that children under 10 years old "must travel in the rear seats", and its regulations added: "with appropriate seat belts". It was many years later that was regulated the different types of restraint systems (SRI) inside the vehicle for each age.

     There's been important improvements about safe transportation of kids, so far. Although a study carried out by Luchemos a few years ago found that, despite what parents said and the fact that the usage of child restraint systems were compulsory, only 16% of children under the age of 4 traveled properly seated and buckled up in cars, but 81% of children under the age of 10 traveled loose in the vehicle, or in the arms of their parents, in the front or rear seat. Consequently, Luchemos por la Vida continues its task of road awareness and education.

TV Campaign 2012

     On June 20th, Luchemos por la Vida turned 30 years old. Long time of intense and fruitful work, with important achievements. And frustrations too. Argentine road safety has evolved in this long time. But there is still a lot to do to accomplish the utopia of nobody dying in traffic. This is everyone's task.

Luchemos keeps fighting for life!