Of all the things to cause a traffic accident, the humble Baby on Board sign seems an unlikely one. But that is the finding of a recent survey by an online price comparison site, which polled 2000 drivers in total.
The Baby on Board sign was originally created by the Safety 1st Corporation in the 1980s, as a means of alerting other road users to the fact there was a baby on board. Later, it also became a way of letting emergency services know there was a baby present.
The problem, it seems, comes from the fact that these signs may cause an obstruction to the driver's rear view. The issue has been compounded by the fact that, according to the poll, 46% of drivers keep the sign on display even if there is no baby travelling with them, and 15% of those with signs use them simply for novelty value.
As a provider of cover for car breakdown, here at Start Rescue we're always keen to hear of issues surrounding road safety, but there has been considerable doubt cast on these figures. As well as leading breakdown organisations, voices within the government have also questioned the numbers.
Executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, Robert Gifford, said, "I think we have to be very careful not to draw too many conclusions from these self-reported figures – drivers will always try to find something else to blame than their own misjudgement.”
While the Baby on Board sign is a very useful indicator to other drivers and the emergency services, it has been pointed out that they should be used carefully, and not in a way which obstructs the driver's view.
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