DTI, LTO reminds parents to buy appropriate child seats

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) reminded parents what appropriate child seats should be used.

According to the DTI and LTO, lateral facing or rear-ward-facing car seats should be used for infants 0 to 15 months old.

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Toddlers and pre-schoolers or those about 15 months to 4 years old should use the forward-facing child seat. Booster seats should be used by 4 to 12-year-olds.

But if the child is 4’11 tall, he can just use an ordinary seat belt.

If you also buy a new car seat, it must have a PS Mark and ICC Sticker.

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It is possible to buy a second hand, but LTO warns to make sure it is not “expired.”

“Mayroon namang ibang car seats that do not have an expiration date. That will be inspected, it will be certified if it is safe to use,” said LTO Deputy Director for Law Enforcement Roberto Valera.

So far, LTO would not apprehend violators for 6 months.

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DTI, LTO reminds parents to buy appropriate child seats

Under the law, fines and suspension of driver’s license can be faced by motorists who do not place safety seats for infants or young passengers.

The LTO is still reviewing the rules on how to implement them and is still studying whether public transport needs to be included in this law.

The Department of Transportation is tasked with enforcing the law. But the agency will first postpone the arrest of those who do not comply due to the pandemic and conduct a comprehensive information campaign on the importance of child seats.

According to the World Health Organization, children have a high chance of avoiding road accidents if they have a car seat.

From 2006 to 2014 in the Philippines, 17 percent of those aged 19 and under were victims of road crashes. This means that about 1,334 per year or about 4 children die every day due to road accidents.

“‘Yung road safety po kasi maaari natin tukuyin na silent pandemic dahil sa dami ng namamatay dito taon-taon kung saan ang ating kababayan patuloy na nagiging vulnerable sa road crashes partikular ang mga bata. Mas fragile po sila, mas malambot ang buto, mas mabilis po sila masaktan,” said Transportation Assistant Secretary Steven Pastor.