While the use of child car seats has increased, there are plenty of parents still not using them effectively - which places their children in danger.
To help Wakatipu parents make sure their children are as safe as possible when travelling in a vehicle, Queenstown Plunket is holding a car seat checking clinic on Tuesday at the Remarkables Park Shopping Centre.
Two Plunket Safe2Go-trained technicians will be on hand to demonstrate the correct way of fitting their child's car seat and restraining them.
"One thing we see a lot of is twisted harnesses and harnesses that are not snug-fitting," Plunket car seat co-ordinator Gill Tankard said. "Or the wrong seat for the child's age."
The technicians would be at the Remarkables Park Shopping Centre between 1pm and 3pm and the checks were free.
"This is a great opportunity for people to come and get their seats checked," Mrs Thompson said.
Parents should also consider whether older children should use booster seats.
Each year, 16 children were killed in crashes around the country and at least 275 children under 15 were taken to hospital with motor vehicle crash injuries, Mrs Thompson said.
Seat belts were designed for adults and often proved ineffective with smaller children.
By using a booster seat, seat belts were more effective, and most children needed to use them long beyond the age of 5.
