Buckle Up! 5 Most Asked Questions (and Answers) on the Car Seat Law

Deferred man ang implementation, it's better na malaman na ang mga dapat about the car seat law, right mommies? Kaya we answer some common questions about it. 🚗

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Image Credit: Flickr/Andrew Seaman

Heads up, mommies and daddies! The government has passed into law and is set to implement the Republic Act 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act. Although the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will not apprehend nor issue tickets to motorists within 6 months after implementation, it still helps to know the key points of the car seat law. 

We answered a few questions you may have to help you better understand the new law. 

Question 1: “My kid is under 12 years old but he’s too tall for the car seat. Do I really need to get a bigger car?”

If your kid is under 12 years old but over 150cm or 4 ft 11 in, he/she is exempted so long as they are properly restrained using a regular seatbelt. 

Question 2: “Can I purchase and install any car seat?”

Unfortunately, no. You’ll have to buy a car seat from a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or seller who has a Philippine Standards (PS) mark license or Import Clearance Certificate from the Bureau of Philippine Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-BPS). The DTI is mandated to follow universal standards set in the UN Regulations No. 44 and 129. 

Your car seats should also be appropriate to your child’s age, weight, and height. Check out this graphic below:

Question 3: “My kids and I only take public transportation, do I need to bring my own car restraint?”

While only private vehicles are covered by the law, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to conduct a study on using child restraints on PUVs such as jeepneys, buses, taxis, and other modes of public transport. 

Question 4: “My kid has a condition and I have a hard time putting him on a car seat, what can I do?”

Children are exempted from child restraints if it puts them in greater danger such as in medical emergencies or if your child has a medical or developmental condition. 

Question 5: “Car seats are just an added expense. Can’t I just use a regular seat belt for my kid?” 

While car seats do add to the expenses, this also provides an added protection to children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), if installed properly, car seats can reduce infant deaths by 70 percent and 57 percent in children. 

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