As the New Year begins, authorities in the UAE are emphasizing the crucial importance of road safety, specifically urging parents to prioritize securing toddlers and young children in car seats when traveling. Dubai Police highlighted the message that the safety of little ones begins with ensuring they are securely seated in their car seats, underlining the responsibility shared by parents.
A survey conducted last year revealed alarming statistics, with 33% of parents in the UAE not owning proper car seats for their children. Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, stressed the vital role of parents in establishing proper safety habits from birth onwards. The Seat Belt Law, implemented in 2017, mandates the use of child seats for children aged 0-4 years, emphasizing the responsibility of parents to bring their newborns home in proper child seats.
Edelmann emphasized the need for responsible parenting, advocating the purchase and consistent use of the appropriate child restraint system. Until age 4, appropriate child seats, initially rear-facing and later front-facing, are recommended. For children aged 5-10, booster seats and booster cushions ensure the seat belt does not pose a risk to the child’s neck in case of a collision.
The survey, commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE and Cybex, revealed that lack of ownership, usage, and knowledge regarding child car seats remains a key issue in road safety. Reasons for not owning a child car seat included lack of knowledge about what to buy, children disliking being strapped in, and perceived high prices.
Concerningly, even among parents who own proper child car seats, about 30% do not always ensure their children buckle up. Reasons cited by parents for not buckling up their children included children’s dislike for being strapped in, the belief that seat belts are unnecessary on short trips, and confidence in being a safe driver immune to accidents.
In the UAE, wearing seat belts is mandatory for all passengers in a car, with violations leading to fines and penalty points. Children up to four years old must be provided with a child safety seat, and front seat passengers should be at least 145 cm tall and not younger than 10 years old.
Edelmann emphasized the need for further education of parents, increased enforcement around schools and kindergartens, and the establishment of a mandatory newborn hospital discharge policy as federal law, ideally embedded in child protection laws. Infant car seats play a vital role in protecting babies during crashes, forming a protective cocoon and restraining the child safely during trips.
