Forerunner to the Seatbelt

This sturdy cane basket is a woven reminder of New Zealand’s changing road safety standards. It was used by Ian and Dorene Vickers to carry their children Alison, Susan, Guy and Jeff during the 1960s. Ian remembers it worked very well, as when the baby fell asleep in transit they could be carried inside without waking. "It was a very handy means of transporting a young child" he said.  Dorene’s mother had used the basket in the same way during the 1930s.

Wearing seat belts in cars was not made compulsory in New Zealand until 1975. Children’s safety seats were not legally required for children under five until 1994. A Ministry of Transport survey conducted in 2009 found 91 per cent of under five year olds were properly restrained, with a further five per cent restrained by adult seatbelts. Only four per cent of children were found completely unrestrained.