Title: Two unrestrained children seriously hurt in Waikato crash

It's a simple enough rule- the number of people in a vehicle should not be greater than the number seats, and unfortunately two Waikato toddlers are paying a heavy price for this rule not being adhered to.

A woman and two children, a boy aged 2 1/2 and a girl aged 4 1/2, suffered serious injuries when the single cab utility they were travelling as passengers in rolled on Te Ohaki Rd Te Kauwhata shortly after 11am.

The male driver of the Holden Rodeo single cab flat deck utility suffered minor to moderate injuries in the crash. Two of the group were flown to Waikato Hospital by helicopter and the other two transported via road by ambulance.

Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said Police were still working to establish exactly what had happened but no other vehicle had been involved in the crash.

The utility is understood to have bucket seats for the driver and front passenger with a small bench seat in between, the children are thought to have had a lap belt across them, something Police are calling totally inadequate.

"There were no child car restraint seats in the utility at the time of the crash which is extremely disappointing given the high profile we have been giving to the issue of car restraints lately.

"Even more disturbing is the fact that two young children have suffered serious injury in avoidable circumstances the same week one child was killed and another seriously injured in incidents involving vehicles in the Waikato."

Mr Tooman implored motorists to take care around children and to ensure all people travelling in their cars were properly restrained.

ENDS

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