Buying a car seat? Here's 5 ways to know the right fit for your kid
MANILA, Philippines — Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act (Republic Act No. 11229) has been postponed, but once it takes effect, parents and guardians should now seriously buckle up their tots and youngsters once they go out.
The law mandates the use of "child restraints systems" for children aged 12 and below. It also disallows them to be seated on the front or passenger seat.
Those who are guilty of violating the law face penalties that include P1,000 for first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 and suspension of driver's license for a year for the third and succeeding offenses.
The law is applicable to private and public vehicles except tricycles and motorcycles. The Department of Transportation is mandated to conduct a study on the use of child restraint systems in jeeps, buses, taxis, vans and other modes of public transportation. It states that should the study prove that the child restraint system will not be applicable for public vehicles, the agency will recommend other safety measures and regulations for child safety in vehicles.
Some members of the Senate, though, filed Resolution No. 663 yesterday, urging the law's rollout to be delayed "until necessary guidelines are put in place and agency mandates are fulfilled."
Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Joel Villanueva and Sherwin Gatchalian argued that a decent child car seat could cost between P3,000 to P60,000, which could "undoubtedly add to the financial burden of motorists."
Related: Senators seek deferment of child car seat law implementation
The passing of the law is deemed important as child safety is an issue in road safety. The Department of Health shared that the latest figures reveal that two children die daily in Metro Manila due to road-related accidents.
How does one know what to buy or if it is the right fit for your child or children?
Non-profit organization SafeKids Worldwide dedicated a page in its website, safekids.org, on the "Ultimate Car Seat Guide: Practical Tips to Keep Kids Safe in Cars."
It contains an exhaustive list on what to buy, guide to installation, finding the right fit, and tips to know when to change your car seat.
Among its tips is finding out the right fit for your child. It gave five basic tips.
1. Select a properly fitted five-point harness that has straps that "go over both shoulders and both hips and then buckles at the crotch."
SafeKids reminded one to regularly check the car seat to ensure that the child has not outgrown it. It also said that a seat belt is also a type of harness and "is used on older children in booster seats."
2. Parents and guardians should take note on the right use of correct harness slots.
SafeKids said that the proper placement of the shoulder straps changes as the child grows.
"On rear-facing car seats, the shoulder straps should come through the car seat slots at or just BELOW your child’s shoulders. On forward-facing seats, the shoulder straps should be at or just ABOVE the shoulders," the organization advised.
3. Use the correct harness and belt placement.
For the car seat, it recommended the use of a five-point harness for the child, which it said provides more protection than a seat belt used with a booster seat or a seat belt alone.
4. The Pinch Test determines if the harness is snug enough.
So it is recommended to do it. How does one do it? After buckling and tightening the harness, pinch it at the shoulder. The fingers will slide off the ebbing if the harness is snug; it is loose if one will be able to pinch the webbing between the fingers.
5. Put on bulky clothes or coats on the child.
"Wearing bulky clothes or winter coats can prevent a snug fit of the harness. You might think your child is securely snug in the seat when in fact the harness is not tight because there is so much air in the jacket," SafeKids said.
