Road Safety advocates, transpo officials urge parents to invest in ‘quality’ car seats

DAVAO CITY— Buying a car seat is small investment and a must for every parent if they want to have peace of mind and ensure their child’s safety on the road.

As the government and civil society groups gear up for the implementation of the penalties for the Republic Act No. (RA) 11229, or the “Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act of 2019” next year, road safety advocates and transportation officials urged parents not to skimp on their children’s safety and invest in quality and up to standard car seats for their children.

“The child restraint system[s] is a wise investment for a parent considering the cost of medication-not to mention physical and emotional trauma-- for children experiencing severe road crash incidents.” Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group Region XI Director PLTCOL Allan Ladra said at the “Buckle Up, Kids! Keeping Kids Safe on the Road” forum held in Davao last February 27.

The event, held at the Seda Abreeza Hotel, was the second leg of a nationwide public information campaign organized by the Global Road Safety Project (GRSP) coalition and the Department of Transportation to shed light on RA 11229. More than 50 people from the government, business sector, and the public were at the forum.

Speakers included representatives from the Region XI Highway

Patrol Group, the Land Transportation Office, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other road safety advocates. They discussed the importance of child safety restraints and tackled government preparations for the incoming implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicle Act on February 2021.

At the event, speakers emphasized that just as important as buying a car seat is ensuring that it is fit for the road. To provide adequate support for children, car seats must follow international safety standards as well.

“Be sure na quality ang binibili niyo [that you buy good quality]… There is a sticker that says it is approved in relation to UN Regulation [44 and 129]. International safety standard that are set in the law,” said Rosemarie Rino, a Senior Trade Industry Development Specialist at the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Product Standards.

Parents should also fasten restraints properly and ensure that their car seats do not fall below the standards set by the Department of Trade and Industry or are “substandard,” as this can compromise the seat’s safety and is penalized by the law. Under RA 11229, drivers who do not properly secure their children with a child safety seat will be penalized P1000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense. Drivers on their third offense will be fined P5,000 in addition to a one-year suspension of their license.

Addressing concerns that the price of car seats is too steep, road safety advocates, meanwhile, stressed that car seats are not a luxury, but a necessity to protect their children.

“Everybody has the right to life, safety, and security. We cannot compromise anyone’s safety, especially isang bata [a child’s],” Amalia Rolloque of Safe Kids Philippines said. According to the World Health Organization, injuries from road crashes are the top cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years old.

RA 11229 was signed into law on February 22, 2019 and mandatory compliance is set to be implemented on February 3, 2021, or one year from the effectivity of the IRR.

Under it, children 12 years old and below will be required to use car seats and are not allowed to sit on the car’s passenger seat. The law also prohibits from leaving children in a motor vehicle at any time. The Buckle Up, Kids! Nationwide public information campaign is part of a nationwide initiative to educate Filipinos on Road Safety— especially child safety seats. Prior to Davao, the GRSP coalition also organized a similar forum in the Visayas in Cebu City last December 6, 2019. (PR/Amanda Lingao)