It’s been a long time coming but Philippine law finally requires adults to use car seats whenever there’s a child onboard a vehicle.
Yes, it’s 2019 and this is only becoming law now after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act on Feb. 22, as announced to the media yesterday.
The Philippine Statistics Authority said that an average of 667 children — those 14 years old and below — died every year from 2006 to 2015 in vehicle accidents. The new law aims to keep infants and children safe and to prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries.
Under the law, motorists are obligated to secure a child 12 years old and below in a child restraint system while on the road, street, or highway.
“It shall be unlawful for the driver of a covered vehicle not to properly secure at all times a child, in a child restraint system while the engine is running,” the law states.
It also states that a child secured in a child restraint system in the vehicle should not be left unaccompanied by an adult.
A child restraint system refers to a device capable of accommodating a child occupant in a sitting or supine position designed to diminish the risk of injury in the event of a collision or of abrupt deceleration of the vehicle by limiting the mobility of the child’s body. The child restraint system should be appropriate for the child’s age, height, and weight.
However, the child restraint system shall not be required in certain instances where its use would put the child in greater danger, like during medical emergencies or when the child has a medical or developmental condition, ABS-CBN News reported.
Children are also not allowed to sit at the front seat of vehicles unless the kid is at least 150 centimeters of 56 inches in height, capable of properly fitting in the regular seat belt.
Several government agencies led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) must undertake regular nationwide information, education, and communication campaign within six months from the passage of the act, Manila Bulletin reported. This includes information on proper installment, use, and maintenance of the child restraint system.
A driver found violating this law shall be fined PHP1,000 (US$18.96) for the first offense, PHP2,000 (US$37.92) for the second offense, and PHP5,000 (US$94.81) and the suspension of the driver’s license for one year for the third and succeeding offenses.
The tampering, alteration, forgery, and imitation of the Philippine Standard or Import Clearance Certificate (ICC) sticker, which helps protect consumers from illegal or substandard products, is also punishable by a fine of not less than PHP50,000 (US$947.85) but not more than PHP100,000 (US$1,895.70) for each child restraint system product.
The law shall take effect 15 days after it is published in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
