How Safe Is Your Car Seat For Kids? What Laws Say

Safety for Kids in Cars: While travelling in cars, many parents think that putting their child in the back seat with an adult seat belt is enough. But an adult seat belt alone may not give your children the right protection. In case of an accident, this can increase the risk of injury in case of sudden braking. Many families rarely ask about the child safety in rear seats and how safe their car seat is for kids. Further, what do the laws in India really say about it?

What are the laws for child safety in cars?

According to India’s Motor Vehicles Act, amended in 2019, the children were firmly into the road safety conversation. Under these rules, the children who are up to 12 years of age, or shorter than 150 cm, are expected to use a child restraint system (CRS).

Additionally, CRSs are specially designed car seats for children to protect them in a crash situation. These seats are standardised by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and are known as AIS-072.

Why is CRS important?

A Child Restraint System (CRS) is an important safety seat for children. The CRS is a device that is engineered to absorb and distribute crash forces safely across a child’s smaller, more fragile body. For infants, there is a rear-facing seat, as it supports their developing bodies, especially the head and neck. Toddlers move up to forward-facing seats with harnesses, and older kids utilise booster seats to make sure the seat belt fits them properly.

Why is it being called ‘Killer Car Seats’ in foreign markets?

As per the Daily Mail, there are multiple car seats for children that are being sold on the global marketplaces that come with a flimsy fabric seat material. Further, in these car seats, there are safety defects. It also includes a thin seat base, and there is a lack of a central point of release for the harness.

The report further mentioned that these products have a lack of side impact protection. This is needed to protect a child's head from hitting the inside of the car. This missing feature in the child seat is a safety failing that leaves children vulnerable to head injuries or can even lead to death in the event of a side impact. In the UK, for the legal sale of child car seats, they must have an R44 or R129 regulation label on them.

Also Read: Suzuki Katana Discontinued in India