THIS August, Cornwall Council Road Safety and Fire service will be holding events at supermarkets across the county to provide information and advice about child car seat laws, the importance of ensuring that the right restraint is used and how to correctly fit child car seats. The campaign visited Tescos in Launceston on Thursday, August 6.

Road safety and fire service staff, trained in the safe fitting of child car seats, will be on hand to offer advice to parents about the appropriate child restraints to use and how to fit them.

Greg Foxwell, project co-ordinator said: "Last year in Cornwall 116 children under the age of 16 were killed or injured as car passengers, and we want this number to decrease.

"This is why we are running the month long child car seat campaign across the county to increase parents' knowledge of fitting car seats correctly and in line with the law, and keeping their children safe when in the car."

Since September 2006 it has been a legal requirement that children up to 135cms in height (approximately 4ft 5ins) or 12 years old, whichever comes first, must use the correct child restraint for their weight when in cars. After this time, an adult seatbelt must be worn.

Shockingly two out of three child car seats are incorrectly fitted and even at low speeds, having your child in a badly fitted seat could increase their risk of injury.