Story & Photo by Patrick P. Tulfo
BABY Co., the store that specializes in baby accessories, and retail giant SM, together with Hyundai, have joined hands to promote safety for children in an event aptly titled “Buckle Up Baby” held recently at the Atrium of SM Mall of Asia.
The event was inspired by the passage of the long-overdue Car Seat Law, or the Republic Act 11229, otherwise known as the “Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act,” which was signed only on February 22.
The bill’s principal authors Sen. JV Ejercito, has cited telling data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing that from the period of 2006-2014, road crashes have already claimed the lives of 5,960 children. These figures translate to an average 662 deaths per year, at least 55 deaths per month and 1 death per day when the numbers are broken down.
In 2017 alone, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) records showed that 7,861 people were seriously injured in road crashes that involve cars, which resulted in the death of 97 individuals.
With the passage of this very important piece of legislation, the government, as well as the private sector, see reduction of the number of fatalities and injuries among children under the age of 12.
The law, by the way, mandates the use of age-appropriate and quality child restraint system (CRS) in motor vehicles and prohibits children below 12 years old to sit beside the driver when the vehicle is moving. Violators will face heavy fines if caught, with the first offense resulting in P1,000 fine, P2,000 for the second offense and P5,000 if caught for the third time, that will also result in the suspension of license of the erring driver for a year.
The event was not only meant to showcase the latest and most advance child seats that Baby Co. carries such as Graco, Joie, Piccolo, Aprica, Maxi-Cosi and Chicco, but more important to teach motorist, especially parents, on the importance of choosing the right seat for their kids depending on their age, size and weight. Because according to the representatives of the different brands mentioned, the wrong seat will not offer the highest level of protection to children, even if they are using one during road trips.
The Child Safety Restraint or Child Seat is a tool that was specifically designed to protect infants and children below 12 years old during a collision or even from sudden stops by restraining their movement away from the vehicle structure and distributing the forces of the crash over the strongest part of their bodies.
Visitors had the chance to learn the science behind the design of different car seats to better understand their functions, aside from learning how to install them in the first place. Aside from the different child seats, three vehicles from Hyundai (the all-new Reina and Kona, and the family van Starex) were also on display.
Nerisse Cordova of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., or Hari, the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the country said, “All Hyundai vehicles being sold in the country are equipped with the latest safety features as the company puts a premium in safety.” She invited parents to check out their vehicles on display at their dealerships all over the country.
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo