Keep children safe this summer

Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta is urging parents to keep their children safe this summer.

"The festive season is a time to celebrate and spend precious time with our families and young ones. It also means that we must take extra care when watching our children this summer," says Nanaia Mahuta.

"If you're going to the beach, make sure your children are supervised at all times when they're in the water, and ensure they swim between the safety flags," says Nanaia Mahuta.

"The same goes for general safety. With school out, more kids will be seen on the streets, and it is a matter of being extra cautious at intersections, or on what would normally be deemed quiet roads during the day.

"If you're travelling, make sure everyone in the car wears a seat belt, and ensure that young ones are buckled in. All too often there are instances where young children are seen standing up in the back of cars with no restraints," says Nanaia Mahuta.

"Already there have been 17 lives lost on our roads in the Christmas period alone, and we don't want any more families suffering."

Nanaia Mahuta is encouraging Kiwis to make regular stops on their summer travels.

"Families are travelling around Aotearoa/New Zealand to visit loved ones, and therefore we must take personal responsibility for our children, because they are the most vulnerable," says Nanaia Mahuta.

"Drivers carry an enormous amount of responsibility, so it's good to make sure to plan trips with plenty of stops so they can rest and re-energize I want our young people and their parents to keep safe and enjoy their summer holidays."