THE New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP) last Sunday pushed for the immediate passage of the child-restraint system (CRS) law in a bid to ensure the safety of children riding cars and other private motor vehicles.
Einstein Rojas, a road-crash survivor and volunteer from NVAP, said there is a need for the government to make it mandatory for private vehicles to install child-car seats when they have children passengers.
“The life of an innocent child should be protected at all times, especially while on the road. Child-car seats offer the best protection for infants and children up to 12 years old,” Rojas added.
He said it is not enough anymore to make child-car seats optional for motorists, since it is not mandated by existing laws. “A child car-seat law will ensure the safety of the child. It is high time the country have one,” Rojas added.
Section 11 of the Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 provides the Land Transportation Office may require the use of special car seats for infants, if it is deemed necessary.
Data from the World Health Organization shows about 1.25 million road-traffic deaths occur annually.
It is also touted as the leading cause of death among youth or those 15 to 29 years old while also being the sixth leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 9.
Locally, records show there are also 24,656 road crashes in 2015 with 1,040 deaths reported.
The Department of Health data added that road crashes has been the second leading cause of death among children aged zero to 17 years old.
“The overwhelming data on road- traffic deaths and injuries show the lack of adequate road-safety measures,” Rojas said. “Existing laws do not specifically protect children and infants against the dangers of road crashes. This is why the passage of a law requiring child-safety seats on motor vehicles is much needed,” Rojas added.