Age limit for child restraint systems in cars
What’s more, close to 76 per cent of parents in India are not aware of their vehicles’ child restraint systems, and only 20 per cent of parents own child helmets.Įvery day, more than 30 children die in road crashes, said Piyush Tewari, CEO and founder of SaveLIFE Foundation. So, this gets one thinking-are road safety laws letting our children down? Children riding pillion on bikes and scooters is a common sight in India, and those children are almost never wearing helmets.Īccording to a study by the NGO SaveLIFE Foundation, more than 55,000 children have died in road accidents in India since 2008. Why so? Most kids like it that way, and then there is the advantage of being able to accommodate more people! While the question of over-crowded vehicles is a discussion for another day, children on adults’ laps means putting the child in harm’s way. Many times, children are seated on the laps of adults, in front and back seats.
Age limit for child restraint systems in cars install#
It is not mandatory to install a child safety seat. Unlike most developed nations, India does not have strict guidelines for travelling with a toddler in a car or on a bike. Even when she is seated in the back with the seatbelt on, I am worried, because that, too, is not the safest position for a toddler. When my husband drives, she, at times, would want to sit in front, on my lap-a safety hazard on many levels, especially so because airbags are dangerous for children. It is a checklist for a two-hour drive on Indian roads with my three-year-old daughter. No, this is not a pre-flight checklist for a trans-Atlantic trip. Promethazine? Eh? Avomine tablet! Ah, check. Use either a child harness made of a lap strap and two shoulder straps or a booster seat together with the ordinary seat belt, which also has an extra strap running behind the child that acts as a guide to change the lie of the diagonal belt.Blanket? Check. Follow the manufacturerʼs instructions on fixing the child seat to the car structure.ģ to 12 years (or children weighing 15 - 36kg) The child is held in the seat by a harness. Fasten a cover over the carrycot to help stop the baby from being thrown out.ĩ months to 4 years (or children weighing 9 – 18kg who can sit up by themselves)Īn appropriate child safety seat is the best. A folded blanket will help to level the floor or wedge the cot in place. If this is not possible, the cot should be placed on the floor, wedged between the front and rear seats. The carrycot should be held on the rear seat by special carrycot restraining straps.
If the carrycot is not made for use in car, place it across the car with the baby's head in the middle of the car. If the carrycot is made for use in a car, fix it on the rear seat using the restraining straps provided and/or the appropriate anchor points in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and secure the child in the carrycot. They should be carried in the rear of the car lying down in a carrycot or infant carrier. Up to 12 months (or babies weighing under 9kg who cannot sit up by themselves)
Young children should be placed in the rear seats and approved restraining devices appropriate to their age and size should be used. In that case, children must wear seat belts instead of not being restrained at all.
If children are in someone elseʼs car or if you are carrying a lot of children, child restraints may not be available. In an accident, the child would be crushed between the passenger and the vehicle dashboard or thrown out of the vehicle. Always ensure that your children are fastened properly in the child restraint device.Ī child must not be held in arms or allowed to sit on the lap of a front seat passenger. If child restraint device is not available, they must be restrained by seat belts when travelling in private cars.Ĭhild restraint device must be correctly and securely fitted to the vehicle in accordance with the manufacturerʼs instructions. Other young child passengers (aged 3 and above) travelling in private car should also use child restraint device to enhance the protection, if available. The requirement also applies to those children travelling in the rear seats of private car when such device is available for use. Transport Department - Child Safety in CarsĬhildren under the age of 3 must be restrained by an approved child restraint device when travelling in the front seats of a private car, private light bus or goods vehicle.