MARAMI nang naganap na mga aksidente ng sasakyan kung saan ay mga bata ang unang namamatay dahil na rin wala silang kakayahan na proteksyunan ang kanilang sarili sa ganitong mga sitwasyon.
Sa ibang bansa ay nalilimitahan ang pagkapinsala ng mga bata sa vehicular accidents sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatupad ng mahigpit na polisiya sa paggamit ng kaukulang safety installations sa mga sasakyan partikular ang tinatawag na child restraint devices tulad ng seat belts, booster seats at iba pang lap-and-shoulder belt assembly.
Kaugnay nito ay isinusulong ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang Senate Bill 2871 (Mandatory compliance by motorists of private and public vehicles to appropriately restrain all child passengers of motor vehicles).
Aniya, “Ang kaligtasan ng mga bata sa pagbibiyahe ay isa sa mga pangunahing dapat tiyakin ng mga driver. Every child should always be kept and positioned safely inside the vehicles by using safety devices or installations. This would reduce the incidence of injuries and fatalities in the event of vehicular accidents.”
Itinatakda ng panukala ang sumusunod:
A.) The Land Transportation Office (LTO) shall be primarily responsible in the enforcement and implementation of this Act.
B.) All public and/or private motor vehicles, including those owned by the government, public utility vehicles or vehicles for hire, school services, tricycles, jeeps, vans and buses shall be required to have appropriate child restraint devices that meet applicable safety standards. Vehicles which are not equipped with these shall be given one year from the issuance of this measure’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to retrofit appropriate child restraint.
C.) Drivers of motor vehicles are required to restrain child passengers (infants and/or children aged six years and below) by using child restraint devices while the vehicle is running.
For public motor vehicles, the driver shall be required to immediately inform and require the adult accompanying child passengers upon boarding a vehicle to restrain the child passenger.
Those who refuse to restrain a child passenger shall not be allowed to continue their trip.