3 Tips Before the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act Becomes a Law

Using a child car seats or booster seats for car occupants will soon be mandated once President Rodrigo Duterte sign the proposed Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act into law.

It was late last year when the Senate passed Senate Bill 1971 on its third and final reading while the House of Representatives voted unanimously its counterpart--House Bill 6938--in February 2018. While waiting for the bicameral conference to convene and ratify the proposal, we should also keep in mind some of these tips when driving with a baby or toddler

1. Never let babies/toddlers ride shotgun.

Our little ones should never ride as front-seat passengers, especially infants. Worst-case scenario is that even if the airbags deploy in case of an accident, our little ones might suffocate. So the best place is to put them in the rear seat, preferably at the back of the driver with properly-latched seat belts.

2. Get the proper seats for your babies.

Children below 150 cm tall can't seat properly yet and won't fit in a regular car seat so they should be placed in a basket-type baby carrier to be placed on the rear seat. Children ages six months to four years need to be place in a child car seat/booster seats. The seats must be according to your young one's height and weight requirement. This is to ensure that they are protected properly should the vehicle get involved in a crash. To know what proper sizing, the child must be at a maximum of their shoulder height limit before getting a new appropriate seat. Aside from your baby, see if it fits the car where you will be putting it. Some might not have the room for it, so make sure it has enough room for it while your baby is in it.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Make sure the baby carrier or child car seat you're buying is ISOFIX-rated or ISOFIX-compatible. ISOFIX is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars.

3. Quality need not to be compromised.

When getting hand-me-down booster seats or child car seats, it should not just be for compliance; it should be of the required safety standards. Make sure that aside from the height requirement, it has not been involved in a crash. Even if there are no apparent damage, it's quality may have already been compromised. Are you willing to compromise on your child's safety and well-being just so you could save a few more pesos?

Have any more tips when it comes to buying a child safety seat? Let us know!