1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Lunch with Pippa Hudson on Cape Talk. Join the conversation now. 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: I want to start the show by catching up with 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 2: UCT's Neuroscience Institute today because they are supporting the International 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 2: Brain Awareness. 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Week, which kicks off today. 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 2: It's an initiative by the Dana Foundation, which is a 7 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 2: private philanthropic group based in the USA which aims to 8 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 2: advance neuroscience that benefits society, and they do that a 9 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: number of ways, funding brain research, raising awareness of key 10 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 2: brain health issues that impact our ability to thrive, and 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,959 Speaker 2: the usage in Neuroscience. Institute is hosting several different aligned 12 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 2: events as part of the International Brain Awareness Week, but 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: there's one in particular, an event and an issue that 14 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: I want to just focus in on today because it 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: highlights an issue we've spoken about many many times before 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 2: on the show, but one which we have got to 17 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 2: keep on speaking about because the problem is not going away. 18 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: And I'm talking about the use of seat belts, or 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: more accurately, the frequent lack of use of seat belts 20 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: when young children are traveling in motor vehicles in this 21 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 2: country and the potential devastation of lives that can follow 22 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: that decision not to or the ignorance or whatever. We're 23 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 2: going to talk about why it happens as part of 24 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: this conversation, but to explain why this particular transport challenge 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: is such a key issue for neuroscientists, and to talk 26 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: about a new strategy that they're adopting in trying to 27 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: shift the. 28 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: Needle on this issue. 29 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 2: It's a pleasure to welcome back to the studio today 30 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 2: doctor Oshiner Rolvunk, who is an associate professor in the 31 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 2: Division of Neurosurgery with a particular interest in traumatic brain injuries, 32 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,839 Speaker 2: and somebody who is really passionate about this issue because 33 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 2: she sees on operating tables and in hospital wards what 34 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,279 Speaker 2: the impact is when children are left unsecured in vehicles. 35 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: It's wonderful to have you back with us. 36 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,919 Speaker 2: I'm sorry it has to be on such a difficult topic, 37 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: but it's always lovely to have you here. 38 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you, Peppa. We appreciate the opportunity to 39 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 3: be able to speak about this issue. 40 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: Let's dive straight into the stats, because I think a 41 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: lot of people this again and it sort of glazes 42 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 2: over and move along. 43 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: But it is such a big issue. 44 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: Won't you share with the listeners some of the figures 45 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 2: that your teams have drawn out of research about seat 46 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 2: belt use and traumatic brain injuries and the percentage of 47 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: children who are suffer really severe injuries and how those 48 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 2: align with seat belt use. 49 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 3: So I think a good place to start is to 50 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 3: contextualize what a big burden of disease injury actually is. 51 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 3: So in healthy children over the age of five, injury 52 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: is the leading cause of death, so it actually accounts 53 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 3: injury related deaths account for more deaths than HIVTV and 54 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 3: malaria combined, but most people are not aware of that. 55 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: And the worst of those injuries are injuries that are 56 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 3: sustained to the head, which we call traumatic brain injuries. 57 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 3: And in our context and in many places in the world, 58 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 3: the major cause of traumatic brain injuries and children is 59 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 3: road traffic accidents. So we see children sustaining injuries both 60 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 3: as pedestrians but also as passengers. And so I'm part 61 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 3: of the African Brainchild which is a translational research unit 62 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 3: based in the Pediatric Neurosurgery United Red Cross Children's Hospital 63 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 3: where we see these children who present and so we 64 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 3: had a look at trying A big part of what 65 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: we do is trying to understand what happens to the 66 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: brain when it's injured and to improve care, but we 67 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 3: also need to understand why the patients are landing up 68 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 3: with us in the first place. 69 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, because prevention is always better than cure. 70 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: Absolutely, we don't want to see these patients, even if 71 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 3: we can provide them the best possible care available. And 72 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 3: so when we did research on what is causing these injuries, 73 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 3: what we noted was that of the children who were 74 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 3: admitted to our intensive care unit as a passenger in 75 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 3: a motor vehicle accident who has who have sustained a 76 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 3: severe traumatic brain injury, only four out of one hundred 77 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 3: were wearing a seat belt or were properly restrained. So 78 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 3: that means that essentially ninety six percent of these children 79 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 3: we should not be seeing at all, and the consequences 80 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 3: of these injuries are devastating. Children often don't survive. If 81 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 3: they do survive, they often left with significant cognitive and 82 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 3: physical disability when they're young, so that disability lasts the 83 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: life course for them has major implications for their families. 84 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 3: These are preventable injuries, and they're preventable with a really 85 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 3: simple act of using a seat belt or using a 86 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 3: car seat. 87 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: The stats are so sobering. Four out of one hundred 88 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: rus we're strapped in yes, and. 89 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: To put them in some additional context, you're seeing I 90 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 2: think it's close to two thousand children at just the 91 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: Red Cross Children's Hospital per year with head injuries. 92 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 3: So two thousand admitted with suspected head injuries. And they 93 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 3: have various different causes, but road traffic accidents are definitely 94 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 3: that they're the leading cause of the severe injuries that 95 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 3: we see. 96 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: I mean, it's a staggering figure for out of one hundred, 97 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 2: particularly given what we know about South Africa's roads and 98 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 2: our road user behavior in general. 99 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: It's appalling. We can't call it anything but that. 100 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: So to know that you are going onto the roads 101 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: into every day a potentially dangerous situation just by being 102 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: in a vehicle on a South African road, To then 103 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: run the risk of not restraining your child properly with 104 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 2: a seat belt or car seat, I can't wrap my 105 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,919 Speaker 2: head around how that happens and why a parent takes 106 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 2: that risk. But of course it's a complex issue. Let's 107 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:12,559 Speaker 2: talk about the why here. I know for some people 108 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: that's a financial issue of the affordability of car seats. 109 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: For many many users it's an issue of relying on 110 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: public transport which doesn't offer them. Yes, are there other 111 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: factors that play So we. 112 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 3: Have put out our feelers to try to understand why 113 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 3: car seats and seat belts are not being used. So 114 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: we launched thee be Quick to Click campaign in twenty 115 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 3: twenty three to try to add our voice to the 116 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 3: many other voices out there that are trying to raise awareness. 117 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 3: And when we speak to parents and when we speak 118 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 3: to our Community Advisory Board, for example, we are often 119 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 3: surprised to hear how many people say that they didn't 120 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 3: know that car seats were required, especially in older children. 121 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: So actually car seats are required in children under the 122 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 3: age of three and booster seats and she'll up until 123 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 3: about the age of twelve when they're about one point 124 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 3: five meters. Most people don't seem to know that. Many 125 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 3: people say they didn't know that they needed to restrain passengers, 126 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,239 Speaker 3: including children who are sitting at the back of the car. 127 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: That is absolutely crucial. It is just as important to 128 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 3: restrain passengers at the back of the car as it 129 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:22,359 Speaker 3: is the front of the car. And many will also 130 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 3: say that they were holding their child. Now, the truth 131 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 3: is that the impact force of a child that weighs 132 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 3: ten kilograms traveling at sixty kilometers an hour is six 133 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 3: hundred kilograms. Nobody can hold six hundred kilograms, so holding 134 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 3: your child at the back of the car is not 135 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 3: going to protect them. Children are become projectiles on impact, 136 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 3: and we see many cases where they are actually catapulted 137 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: out of the vehicle. So there seems to be a 138 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 3: misunderstanding about the importance of the seat belts, the importance 139 00:06:57,760 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 3: of car seats, how to use them, when to use them, 140 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 3: and the fact that they need to be used by 141 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 3: everybody in the car, They need to be used by 142 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 3: for all children up until the age. 143 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 2: Of twelve, consistently and correctly, and just before we even 144 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: take into consideration the fact that not everybody is installing 145 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: them the correct way or securing them the correct way. 146 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 2: So it's a massive I mean, it's really confusing to 147 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 2: me that there are so many people who are simply 148 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: unaware of this need. 149 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: But I mean it speaks to. 150 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: Why we need campaigns like this one we're talking about 151 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: to drive that message home. 152 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:33,679 Speaker 1: Before we talk. 153 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 2: About the new way you're trying to communicate that message, 154 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: which is launching this week and which I'm really fascinated 155 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: to hear more about. Let's just talk a little bit 156 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: more about You've referenced lifelong issues, burden of care on families, 157 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: obviously lifelong expenses associated with that. But somebody's asking if 158 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 2: you can just elaborate a little bit about what actually 159 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: happens to the young brain in the case of an 160 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: accident like that. Do you want to talk a little 161 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: bit about physically what has happened with such an injury 162 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 2: that causes that lifelong impact. 163 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: Absolutely, so, I think the first point to really make 164 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 3: is that the brain is the most important organ. It's 165 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 3: one of the things we a message we punt a 166 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 3: lot in our group, and the reason is that the 167 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 3: brain is responsible for movement. It's responsible for sensation, for vision, 168 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 3: for speech, for language, for cognitive function, for feelings and emotions, 169 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 3: for our memory. It is responsible for every aspect of 170 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: our human experience. 171 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 2: So when it is. 172 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 3: Injured, the consequences are far reaching. So many patients unfortunately 173 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 3: do not survive, but those who do could experience physical disabilities. 174 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 3: So that can happen when parts of the brain that 175 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 3: are involved in motor function or sensation are damaged. Even 176 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 3: if the limbs are intact, the information that needs to 177 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 3: be conveyed to those limbs is disrupted. We see a 178 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 3: lot of children who are cognitively severely disabled, so they 179 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 3: really struggle to return to school. We know that special 180 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 3: schooling is very limited, particularly for communities, poorer communities, so 181 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 3: their ability to obtain an education to then later become 182 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 3: productive members of society that's really difficult. They will often 183 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 3: struggle with attention difficulties, they will struggle with behavioral difficulties. Unfortunately, 184 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 3: there is an overrepresentation of teenagers who have a history 185 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 3: of a traumatic brain injury in the juvenile detention system. 186 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 3: So the consequences are far reaching by virtue of the 187 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: fact that the brain is the critical organ that enables normal, 188 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 3: healthy function in all of its domains. 189 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 2: Okay, Roy asking a question which I'm going to give 190 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 2: a short response to you, and then I want you 191 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 2: to give the lot of response to please. Roy's comment is, 192 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: if the car is fitted with airbags as many cars 193 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,719 Speaker 2: these days are, why do we still need seat belts? Well, 194 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 2: my initial response that I I want to make royas 195 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 2: if you go back to the last few weeks where 196 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 2: the consumer talk conversations and listen to the interviews I've 197 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: had with the Automobile Association, you will know that many 198 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 2: of the cars that are being sold in South Africa 199 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: do not have adequate airbags fitted, and that the versions 200 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: sold in this country have far fewer than the ones 201 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 2: that are sold in Europe because our statutory requirements are 202 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 2: so much lower. So do not be lulled into a 203 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 2: false sense of security that because you're driving a new 204 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 2: model car, everything's just peachy because of the air bags. 205 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: But I'm sure you'd like to say it's a lot 206 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: more than airbag protection needed. 207 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: Oh Hugually, we have seen children who present to our 208 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 3: ICU with severe injury sustained because they have had an 209 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 3: impact with the balloon. Okay, so the point of the 210 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 3: seat belt and the car seat is to prevent the 211 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 3: passenger from being catapulted forward at all. So it's particularly 212 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 3: in children. They have very thin facial bones and skull bones, 213 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 3: so they need to be protected from any kind of 214 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 3: impact at all, and that is why they need to 215 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 3: be restrained in a way that they will not there 216 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 3: will be no movement, and that is really what the 217 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 3: car seats are designed to do. And of course what 218 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 3: the car, what the seat belts are also designed to 219 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 3: do so. Airbags carrier risk. They are important, but they 220 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 3: are certainly not the solution to preventing these injuries, and. 221 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: An airbag deploying on the side of the car has 222 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: nothing to stop. 223 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: The forward motion of a child absolutely basically catapulted into 224 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: space as a projectile. Now, one of the things I 225 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: mean a table writing is to say I don't have 226 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 2: a child to transport in my car, but I understand 227 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: the rule of the car seat and or seat belt. 228 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 2: I think parents with small children are just making excuses 229 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 2: by saying they didn't know. Maybe I'm just ignorant, but 230 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 2: I'm not convinced, is Tabor's comment. We've also got a 231 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 2: voice note in from one of our listeners. Maybe let's 232 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 2: listen to that quickly before we talk about the new 233 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: strategy that the be Quick to Click campaign is introducing 234 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 2: to try and spread awareness of this issue proper. 235 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 4: It really it's shocking and blows my mind that seat 236 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 4: pots can't be worn. I mean, if you look inside 237 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 4: a car, you know there are seat pots that wouldn't 238 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 4: install seat belts for nothing. It's not just that it's 239 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 4: not optional, but what our find super op was in 240 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 4: cars that have the sensor and then have that noise 241 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 4: that just drives you out if you don't have your 242 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,719 Speaker 4: seat belt on and without the means of deactivating it. 243 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 4: You know, I know in some cars you can deactivate 244 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 4: it manually, but it should be compulsive in every single car. Know, 245 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 4: the answer is not that simple, but it really doesn't. 246 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:43,439 Speaker 1: Thanks for that. 247 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 2: This is one of those places where I say a 248 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 2: little bit of a white light doesn't go astray. When 249 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 2: your kids are very young and sometimes they fight you 250 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: on the seat belt and they kick and don't want 251 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 2: to be restrained, et cetera, we simply used to tell 252 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 2: us the car cannot start until the seat belts are 253 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: all clicked in. And I'm not sure for how long 254 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 2: they actually believe that, but hey, take it as a 255 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 2: strategy you might want to try. We are in conversation 256 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 2: with doctor Ershla ROLVN, Associate Professor in the Division of Neurosurgery. 257 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 1: Part of the African brain Child is the key message here. 258 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 2: But what I wanted to flag for you is something 259 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 2: that they are launching later this week that is hoping 260 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: to shift the needle a little bit, because, as you mentioned, 261 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 2: the be quick to Click campaign has been running for 262 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 2: several years now, and maybe it is. Hopefully it's making 263 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 2: an impact, but the impact is not big enough given 264 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 2: the kind of stats you've just shared with us, tell 265 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 2: us about what you're launching later this week to try 266 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 2: and make this issue real in partnership with the Captain 267 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 2: Science Center. 268 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 3: So we realized that we've added our voice to many 269 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 3: fantastic voices out there, very strong messages that are being 270 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 3: put out there about the use of car seats and 271 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 3: seat belts, but we're still seeing these injuries. So the 272 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 3: question was is the mesage incorrect? Are we reaching the 273 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 3: wrong audience? And how can we be more impactful? 274 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 2: So we realize that. 275 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 3: Words can only go so far. Experience counts for a 276 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 3: lot more than words often, and so together with the 277 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 3: Cape Town Science Center, we designed what we call the 278 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 3: seat Belt Convincer. So it's a like a car crash 279 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 3: simulator which both children and adults can ride and they 280 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 3: can experience for themselves the impact of the seat belt. 281 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 3: As the simulator propels you towards a wall, it stops suddenly. 282 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 3: If you weren't wearing your seat belt, you would be 283 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 3: propelled forward, and it doesn't go at a very fast pace. 284 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 3: We've written it, but the impact for the person who's 285 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 3: in it is very real, and so we are really 286 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 3: hoping that this could serve as an experiential tool that, 287 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 3: first of all, by placing it in the Cape Town 288 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 3: Science Center that sees twenty five thousand children a year, 289 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 3: will educate children experientially about why they need to wear 290 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 3: a seat belt, so that they are empowered to actually 291 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 3: advocate for their own safety. I think all parents out 292 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 3: there can relate to this idea that your child comes 293 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 3: home and says, I need a seat belt to be safe. 294 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 3: Where is my seat belt? Why am I not strapped in? 295 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 3: We're trying to speak to parents, and we're speaking to drivers, 296 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 3: but we also need to speak to the children around 297 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 3: whom our entire campaign revolves. So we're trying to use 298 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 3: an experiential tool, we're trying to empower children. And then 299 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 3: our hope is that by launching it with the supporter 300 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 3: of various key individuals within government, within the research institutions, 301 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 3: within academic institutions, that we can see this tool be 302 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 3: amplified and used throughout the country so that it can 303 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 3: become an experiential opportunity for learning beyond just the Cape 304 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 3: Town Science Center and the University of Cape Town. 305 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 2: I mean, it strikes me so clever to speak to 306 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: the kids themselves. And going back to what I said earlier, 307 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 2: that moment when your children start fighting with you and wriggling, 308 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 2: and you know, when they're little, you've got to employ 309 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 2: whatever strategies it takes to just force them into the seat. 310 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 2: But as they get older, the stoppiness, as they're approaching 311 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: the teen years and nom it's uncool to be seen 312 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 2: in a seat, well all the other stuff that goes 313 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: with it. To give that child early on an actual 314 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 2: experience that proves to them why it's necessary would take 315 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 2: away that whole level of argument that I know some 316 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 2: parents do just go, oh, well, just I can't bear 317 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 2: to have this argument again. 318 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: We'll just let it go this once. Yeah, you'll kind 319 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: of override that. 320 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 3: Well, we're hoping that we can also start to encourage 321 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 3: habit forming in younger children, which will then continue for 322 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 3: the duration of their lives when they become drivers, when 323 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 3: they become parents one day, and so we have to 324 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 3: engage children in being advocates for their own safety. Of course, 325 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 3: it should be the responsibility of their parents, but we're trying. 326 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 3: The seatbelt convincer can be used by both adults and children. 327 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 3: So we're hoping that with support, we can build more 328 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 3: of these tools, and they could be placed in various 329 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 3: different environments, for example, within law enforcement training centers, so 330 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 3: that law enforcement officers themselves can see why the seat 331 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 3: belt is important and that we can have better enforcement 332 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 3: of seat belt use. We know that it is not 333 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 3: enforced in the way that it should be. We know 334 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 3: that it's possible, if we think of the COVID pandemic, 335 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 3: to enforce things in a way that's extremely stringent when 336 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 3: they're sufficient motivation. Traumatic brain entry in children is a 337 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 3: silent pandemic. The numbers are staggering, the consequences are staggering. 338 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 3: If we could make these additional efforts for the pandemic, 339 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 3: we certainly can make them for this issue that is 340 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 3: much larger, much further reaching, and has been around for 341 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 3: decades and will still stay with us for decades. 342 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: Sure, lots of food for thought. 343 00:17:58,160 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 2: I mean, really wonderful to have you with us to 344 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 2: expel plane so thoroughly why this is an issue we 345 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 2: need to continue to take seriously and a message we 346 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 2: need to keep driving home. The simulators launching officially later 347 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 2: this week, So if somebody wants to bring their kids along, we're. 348 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: Not too far away from school holidays. I think, come 349 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: along and try it out. They'll find it at the 350 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: Cape Town Science Face. 351 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, so the launch is happening at the Neuroscience 352 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 3: Institute on Wednesday. Then the seatbelt Convincer will be at 353 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 3: the Cape Town Science Center. And for the listeners, yes, 354 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 3: I invite you to go and try it out. But 355 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 3: also if anybody would like to get involved and support 356 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,959 Speaker 3: us in trying to amplify this message, we need as 357 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 3: much support as we can get. 358 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 2: And if you want to read up more about the campaign, 359 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 2: visit be quick too click dot com. Assurciate Professor urshlar 360 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 2: Roll and wonderful to have you with us again. She's 361 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 2: from African Brainchild sitting within the Division of Neurosurgery and 362 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 2: somebody who sees at firsthand on the hospital floor the 363 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 2: devastating impact of the accidents involving unrestrained children, please take 364 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 2: it seriously.