Better safety for children in cars

With 60 per cent of child deaths occurring on the roads, it is time for stricter laws

Other countries have made great strides in curbing these road-related deaths by mandating car seat usage. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

We have all seen rambunctious children jumping up and down in the back seat of moving cars. For many parents, there is nothing wrong with children having fun in the back seat because of the false perception that it is somehow safer than the front. A different mentality and new ­regulations are needed to mandate the use of child car seats and seat belts.

The problem of car seats is a large one. According to figures released by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi in 2013, 60 per cent of all child deaths in Abu Dhabi were thanks to road-traffic injuries. Additionally, the World Health Organisation, has noted that the correct use of car seats can reduce the likelihood of car crash deaths by nearly 70 per cent.

Other countries have made great strides in curbing these road-related deaths by mandating child safety seat usage. These statistics speak for themselves in underlining the need for a fresh approach to ending this problem.

In March, the Federal National Council discussed the introduction of a compulsory child-seat law. While tough legislation is needed to curb this problem, debating new laws by itself is not the entire solution. Rather, laws need to be put on the books and enforced on the roads. In addition to tougher legislation, public education and awareness campaigns, such as those already being implemented, will continue to dismantle myths about child safety.

Every parent knows how difficult it can be to get an unruly child to sit quietly in a safety seat. This doesn’t change the fact that car seats save lives and teach important lessons about respecting authority and behaving properly in cars or on any type of journey.

Just like other matters concerning road safety, better environments for children in cars begins with the drivers themselves. Statistics revealing the gravity of the problem are now impossible to avoid. While we anticipate a change in the law, all parents should take the initiative and ensure that their children are securely seated whenever they are in a moving car.