Car Seats Vital When Driving Children Under the Age of 5 Years

A child in a car seat

Safety of children especially those under the age of 5 years should be considered key. As much as the driver and other occupants see the need to wear safety belts, the same should apply to children under the age of 5 years. This is so because they too have the right to life therefore their parents or guardians should ensure their safety every time when travelling.

It is against the law (Road Traffic Act Cap 69:01) to drive children below five years without children’s car seats. Therefore it is a serious offence punishable by law and drivers could face a charge of nothing less than P300 but not more than P500. This is a worrisome phenomenon because parents sit children on their laps while driving, some children even stand between the seats and some even peep through the windows. This puts children at greater risk of injury or even death in the event of an accident

Therefore efforts should be made to promote the use of child restraint systems through improved laws and public education. It is also essential to evaluate the risks of none-use of child restraint systems and the benefits of their use in protecting children in crashes, most notably in the form of effectiveness estimates.

The Botswana  Police Service continue to implore parents and those driving children under the age of 5 years to ensure that they are safe by restraining them in car seats.