【厳選！】【注意】命を守るシートベルト　子どもには「凶器」にも　6歳以上でも身長140センチ未満ならチャイルド・ジュニアシートを「推奨」　福岡

On August 25th, one week has passed since two young sisters died in a collision between a light passenger vehicle and a city bus in Fukuoka City on August 18th. It's believed the sisters died from abdominal compression caused by a seat belt. However, seat belts, which are meant to protect lives, can sometimes become lethal weapons for children. Read the article about this video https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/fbs/category... On the 18th, a light passenger vehicle crossed the center line on a national highway in Higashi-Iribe, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City, and collided with a Nishitetsu bus in the oncoming lane. In the accident, two second-grade elementary school students, a 7-year-old sister and a 5-year-old sister, who were sitting in the back seat of the light passenger vehicle, were killed, and the mother, who was driving the vehicle, suffered serious leg injuries. Subsequent interviews with investigators revealed that the mother told police after the accident that she was looking at the navigation system. Since there were no brake marks at the scene, police are investigating the possibility that the mother's distracted driving may have been the cause of the accident. The sisters, who were in the back seat, were not using child or booster seats, and are believed to have died from compression of their abdomens by the seat belt. The Road Traffic Act requires children under the age of six to use child seats. The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) recommends that children over the age of six who are under 140 cm tall use child or booster seats. ■Street Person "I didn't know this. I found out about it when I saw the news about this accident." "They used booster seats until the required age, so I thought it was okay now that that period was over." A survey conducted by the police and JAF last year found that the child seat usage rate was 92% for children under the age of one, but dropped to approximately 55% for children over the age of five. We had elementary school students (7 years old) under 140 cm tall, who are not yet old enough to use child car seats, try wearing a seat belt. It's clear that the belt around the child's neck and the lower belt compressing the child's stomach when the child shifts position slightly. Even for 9-year-olds under 140 cm tall, the seat belt appears to be incorrectly fitted. On the other hand, using a junior car seat ensures that the child is wearing the seat belt correctly. ■JAF Fukuoka Branch Safety Advisor, Yoshimichi Tanaka "When using a junior car seat, the seat belt has a designated place to be threaded, ensuring it is properly fastened to the child's body. I believe it's important to be well prepared for your child, so that in the event of an accident, you don't end up regretting not being prepared." JAF plans to raise the recommended height for using child car seats and junior car seats by 10 cm from under 140 cm to under 150 cm in mid-September. The average child's height exceeds 150 cm around the time they enter junior high school. Even for children over 6 years old, for whom child seats are not mandatory, choosing a riding position that suits their physique can help save their lives. Many people are concerned about the cost of child seats and junior seats. The Fukuoka Prefectural Traffic Safety Association rents out child seats and junior seats free of charge. Anyone can use them for a yearly membership fee of 400 yen. The rental period and number of seats available vary by region, so please check the Traffic Safety Association's website for details. For the latest news, please visit https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/fbs. X FBS Fukuoka Broadcasting News (@FBS_NEWS5) is also reporting.   / fbs_news5