The use of a child car seat for all children under the age of three will be compulsory from 1 May.
This is according to an amendment added to the National Road Traffic Act by Transport Minister Dipuo Peters.
According to the Act, motorists who have children under the age of three, unrestrained in a vehicle, will be issued a fine.
“This is a good step because children would be safer this way. When an accident occurs and the child is siting on the mother’s lap, they may be strung forward and get hurt or die,” said JMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minaar.
According to Chief Supt Minaar, the law only applies to passenger vehicles.
Over the next weeks before the new traffic law comes into effect, the department will be launching awareness campaigns across the country.
ER24 spokesperson Chitra Bodasing said, “on a daily basis while on the road you will find young children jumping on back seats, hanging out of windows and sitting on passenger’s laps.”
Mother to a four-month-old baby Abigail Chidi said, “It is a good thing that they are forcing everyone to protect their children –which is something every parent should actually be doing. If you can afford to buy a car, then you can afford to keep your child safe in it.”
ER24 offers the following advice:
- Infants should ride rear-facing at least until they are a year old. Once they exceed the weight or height limit set by the manufacturer of the infant safety seat, they should continue to ride rear-facing in a convertible safety seat. It is best to keep toddlers rear-facing as long as possible.
- When they have outgrown this seat, they should use a forward-facing safety seat with a full harness. This should be used until they exceed the weight and/or height limit set by the manufacturer of the seat.
- Children, who have outgrown a convertible safety seat, should use a booster seat until they are at least four feet.
- Children, who are tall enough to wear an adult seat belt, should still ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old. Adjust the seat belt so the lap belt crosses the child’s upper thighs and the diagonal belt crosses the upper chest at a point between the neck and shoulder.
