As South Africa commemorates National Children’s Day, child road safety non-profit organisation Wheel Well, in partnership with Supa Quick, has brought practical support to families through a car seat donation and handover initiative at Supa Quick Irene in Centurion.
The initiative aims to make child passenger safety more accessible by helping families in need access appropriate car seats, while raising awareness about the importance of protecting young passengers on South Africa’s roads. A total of twenty-five (25) car seats were donated to families around Centurion and surrounding area, helping parents and caregivers access essential child safety equipment that may otherwise be financially out of reach.
The initiative forms part of Wheel Well’s ongoing Car Seats for Kids programme, which encourages members of the public to donate unused car seats. Each donated seat is assessed and, where suitable, refurbished before being redistributed to families in need. To date, the programme has helped more than 12,000 children gain access to child restraints, making safer travel more accessible to families across South Africa.
Wheel Well Founder, Peggie Mars, said National Children’s Day provides an important opportunity to reflect on the responsibility society shares in protecting children, including when they travel.
"Every child deserves to travel safely, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. A properly selected and correctly fitted car seat can significantly improve a child's protection in the event of a crash. However, access to appropriate child restraints remains a challenge for many families. Through our Car Seats for Kids initiative and partnerships such as this one with Supa Quick, we want to bridge that gap while encouraging parents and caregivers to make child passenger safety a non-negotiable part of every journey," she said.
The initiative comes at a particularly important time as families prepare for the festive season, when increased travel and busier roads place additional demands on motorists. Wheel Well is encouraging parents and caregivers to check that their children's car seats are appropriate for their age, height and weight, correctly installed and suitable for every journey.
The need for continued intervention is highlighted in Wheel Well's Status of Child Road Safety: 2025 Report, which recorded 1,034 child road fatalities in South Africa in 2025. While this represents an almost 80% reduction from the 5,087 child road deaths recorded in 2012, the figures underline the continued vulnerability of children on the country's roads.
The report further found that pedestrians accounted for 66.7% of child road fatalities, highlighting the importance of addressing child road safety both inside and outside vehicles. Supa Quick supported the initiative as part of its commitment to promoting road safety and contributing to practical interventions that protect vulnerable road users. Supa Quick Brand Manager, Yolandi Grundeling, said the partnership reflects the importance of collaboration in making road safety a shared responsibility.
"Road safety is about more than maintaining a vehicle; it is also about protecting everyone who travels in it. Children are among our most vulnerable road users, and ensuring that they have access to appropriate car seats is an important part of creating safer journeys. We are proud to partner with Wheel Well on an initiative that delivers practical support to families while reinforcing the importance of child passenger safety, particularly as we approach the busy festive travel season," she said.
Through continued collaboration, Wheel Well and Supa Quick aim to extend the reach of practical child safety interventions, encourage responsible behaviour among motorists and help more families make safer journeys possible.