Are you fond of letting your child take the passenger’s seat when bringing them to school or on weekend drives? You might not be able to do that anymore after the government officially implements Republic Act 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act.
On February 22, 2019, the President signed the law requiring children to be seated in car seats when being transported. The law seeks to maximize the safety of infants and children while traveling in private vehicles and to prevent traffic-related deaths among children in case of an accident.
We summarized all the important aspects of the Car Seat Law and are sharing it here for everyone’s information. Based on reports, this will be officially implemented a year after the effectivity of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) which is expected to be released by the Department of Transportation in six months. This gives us, parents, enough time to financially prepare for the said car seats that, I guess, are anything but cheap.
Read on!
- Children that are 12 years old and below are not allowed to sit in the front seat of a motor vehicle with a running engine.
- Children who are at least 4’11” in height (150 centimeters) may be allowed to sit in the front seat of a motor vehicle but must be properly secured using the regular seat belt.
- The child restraint system must be appropriate for the child’s age, height, and weight. It is not enough that the child is restrained (with the use of a car seat); the seat must be big enough to safely and comfortably accommodate the child.
- The use of the child restraint system will not be required in circumstances where its use would put the child in greater danger, such as during medical emergencies or when the child has a medical or developmental condition.
- A child that is secured in his car seat must not be left alone in the car.
- Car seats must not be substandard or expired and must bear the mark of the Philippine Standard (PS) and a sticker of the Import Clearance Certificate or ICC.
- The Department of Transportation is currently studying the application of the child restraint system on public utility vehicles.
Violations and Fees
- Any driver found violating the law shall be fined as follows:
- P1,000 for the first offense
- P2,000 for the second offense
- P5,000 for succeeding offenses.
- Third-time offenders will also receive a one-year driver’s license suspension.
What are your thoughts on this brand new law? We’d love to hear your opinions!
References:
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