Old Mutual Insure supports child passenger safety with 500 car seat donation for kids
According to the Road Accident Fund (RAF), an average of 1,288 school-going children aged five to 19 lose their lives on South African roads each year, highlighting the urgent need for improved road safety measures. Sadly, many of these tragedies are preventable through the proper use of car seats. However, 70% of parents struggle to afford one, leaving young passengers vulnerable. In addition, South African law requires that children under the age of three years be secured in a car seat, yet many still travel without proper restraints.
As such, Old Mutual Insure (OM Insure), one of South Africa’s leading non-life insurers, has thrown its weight behind the prestigious 2025 Car of the Year (COTY) Awards, a partnership that underscores OMI’s commitment to road safety, with a special focus on reducing road fatalities and creating safer driving environments for all South Africans. In line with this commitment, OMI partnered with Philip Hull at The SA Road Safety Foundation in 2024 to launch a campaign encouraging all South Africans to pledge to drive safely for the sake of their loved ones.
This year, OMI extended its road safety drive by partnering with an NPO called Wheel Well for the car seat drive, through which it will donate an initial 500 car seats to families in need. This initiative seeks to address one of the most critical safety concerns on South African roads – protecting young passengers.
A Shared Commitment to Road Safety
“As an insurer, our strategic approach extends beyond financial protection to actively mitigating risks and creating tangible value for our customers,” says Jerry Anthonyrajah, Chief Commercial Officer. “Partnerships like these align with our core business objectives of understanding and reducing risk, demonstrating how insurance can be a proactive force in society. We’re not just managing potential claims but working to prevent them by addressing critical safety challenges.”
Wheel Well, a non-profit dedicated to promoting road safety for children, has already distributed over 11,758 car seats to families in need. Through this new partnership, OM Insure aims to make an even greater impact by enabling more families to access life-saving car seats.
The Importance of Child Safety on South African Roads
Presodhini Naicker, Executive: Marketing & Communication at Old Mutual Insure, emphasises the importance of making road safety a shared responsibility. “Our ‘My Gift’ (Isipho Sami) campaign encourages South Africans to pledge safe driving as a gift to their loved ones. By donating 500 car seats to Wheel Well, we are directly addressing the issue of child passenger safety and reinforcing the message that every life matters on SA roads. This is about creating a tangible, immediate impact on child safety where it’s needed most.”
According to Wheel Well representative Peggie Mars, the initiative will have a profound effect on under-resourced communities. “This partnership means so much more than just donating car seats. It means a child in a less fortunate family can be safe, a parent can drive with peace of mind, and a lifelong habit of seatbelt use can be instilled from a young age.”
Wheel Well refurbishes and distributes donated car seats, ensuring that every child receives a seat that meets rigorous safety standards. However, accessibility and awareness remain challenges. “Affordability is a key barrier, but so is education,” Mars adds. “Eight out of ten car seats we inspect are either incorrectly adjusted, installed improperly, or not suitable for the child’s stage of development. Through this partnership, we can reach more parents and ensure their children travel safely.”
COTY’s Focus on Safety and Innovation
The Car of the Year competition has long placed safety at the forefront of automotive innovation. “The industry has made huge strides in safety, with advanced features such as stability control, brake assist, and Isofix child seat mountings becoming standard,” says Michelle York, Logistics Manager for the COTY Awards and the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ). “The partnership with Old Mutual Insure enhances our focus on safety by addressing the human factor-ensuring that drivers and passengers, especially children, are as protected as possible.”
Beyond recognising the safest and most innovative vehicles on the market, the COTY Awards provide a platform to raise awareness about road safety issues, which is one of the key reasons Old Mutual Insure decided to become a headline sponsor for the third year.
An Invitation to South Africans to Get Involved
Old Mutual Insure is encouraging all South Africans to take an active role in making roads safer by pledging to drive responsibly. The public can support Wheel Well’s work by donating new or gently used car seats at participating Supa Quick dealerships, where they will be refurbished and distributed to families in need.
“We hope this initiative not only protects children but also inspires a nationwide movement towards safer roads,” said Anthonyrajah. “We invite everyone to be part of this change-because road safety is a responsibility, we all share.”
