Child car seat law temporarily halted

The national government temporarily called off the implementation of the child car seat law which mandates private vehicles to use car seats for children aged 12 years old and below after the policy drew flak from the public.

Land Transportation Office (LTO) head Edgar Galvante announced in an online press briefing on Tuesday that they have agreed to defer the full implementation of Republic Act No. 11229, or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act or the use of car seats of private vehicles to prevent injuries on kids.

Instead, the transport agencies will conduct an intensified information, education, and communications campaign for a period of three to six months before finally implementing the policy.

“There’s still no need to worry about being apprehended or fined. We won’t penalize or give sanctions to violators for now. We will only remind them about the law while we’re still developing public awareness on it,” Galvante said in a published report of Philippine Daily Inquirer on Feb. 3.

In Western Visayas, officials from LTO 6 shed light on the controversial policy and explained that it is applicable to private vehicles with children passengers.

“This is applicable sa private vehicles nga may mga kabataan nga karga bala because the law is really meant to protect the children from any injury in cases of road crash or road accidents,” Jose Romeo Jamerlan deputy chief Operations Division of LTO 6 explained in a press conference on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Atty. Allan Sacramento acting chief, Operations Division of LTO 6 explained that children 12 years and below with a height of more than 4 feet and 11 inches will not be required to use the car seats, and instead use regular seatbelts.

“The law says na 4 feet 11 inches so maskin 11 years old pero taas, no need for car seats,” Sacramento said.

Sacramento added that the policy is not applicable to adults who are 4 feet and 11 inches or lower as the law only covers children 12 years old and below.

“If you are more than 12 you are not covered by the law. So those nga may condition for example of dwarfism who are already adults, this is not applicable to you so pwede ka sa front seat,” he said.

LTO 6 said that they are focusing on the information dissemination on motorists.

The agency is also planning to accredit centers and stations in the region that will install car seats to ensure that these are compliant with the standards. (ERS)