Experts and managers agree on the need to legislate not allowing children to sit in the front seats of cars and the use of safety seats – Photo: Tuan Phung
The above issue was discussed by several experts and representatives of concerned agencies at a scientific meeting to propose plans on rules for the safety of children in cars, organized by the Health Consultancy and Community Development Centre, Asia Injury Prevention Foundation on September 26 .
According to Mr. Tran Hu Minh, head of the office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, Vietnam adds about 500,000 new cars every year. There has also been better investment in transport infrastructure. Cars are allowed to travel at a speed of 120 km/h on many highways and 80-90 km/h on national highways.
The number of cars has increased and the driving speed is higher, but the seat belts on cars are only suitable for the height of adults and have little effect on children. Therefore, it is necessary to regulate the age at which children cannot sit in the front seat of the car and the age at which they can be transported with child safety devices.
Ms Duong Khanh Van, World Health Organization Technical Officer, said that child safety equipment in a car is understood as a system for the safety of children in a car, including: cradle-type child seats (under 2 years ), Toddler Seats (2-6 years old), Booster Cushions (6-12 years old).
Using safety equipment correctly can reduce child deaths by at least 60%, using lift cushions reduces non-fatal injuries by 19% compared to using seat belts alone .
Currently 91 countries have laws on the use of child safety devices in cars. The United Nations also changed the rules to apply protective equipment to children under 12 years of age and less than 1.5 meters tall, instead of the previous rules that applied to children under 10 years of age and less than 1.35 meters tall. Has increased.
Ms Van recommended that Vietnam should implement the new UN regulations as protective equipment manufacturers are currently transitioning production in accordance with this regulation.
Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Viet Cuong – Center for Policy Research and Injury Prevention, University of Public Health – said that there are currently no regulations on the safety of children in cars in Vietnam.
Mr. Cuong cited survey data of 10,000 cars carrying children in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, showing only 1.3% of the cars used child safety devices. In which it is about 2.6% in Hanoi, 1.1% in Ho Chi Minh City, no in Da Nang. Most people who use child seats live abroad and use them when transporting children. Some people see them on TV and use them to protect their children.
“Sun visors in front of the car windshield often recommend that children under 12 years of age or taller than 1.5 meters should not sit in the front seat. But in a survey in Vietnam, 22.8% of children in the front seat alone Seated, 19.2% of children sat in the front seat with an adult”, Mr Cuong gave a number and recommended that children under 12 and less than 1.5 meters tall sit with safety devices when traveling by car. When traveling, children under 12 years of age should not be allowed to sit in the front seat. Sit in the front row.
1.5 million children would benefit if children under 12 were required to use safety seats
Currently, the draft law on road traffic order and safety stipulates that children under 10 years of age or less than 1.35 meters tall traveling in cars with less than 10 seats must not sit in the same row with the driver. Needed; Children under 4 years of age must be transported in cars (except passenger transport cars) with child safety devices.
Ms Tran Xuan Hang – Legal Department, Ministry of Health – said that studies show that investing in protective equipment worth about 1.1 million VND can save about 3.34 million VND in medical costs, about 11.23 million VND for future income. Help may be available.
If children aged 4 and under are required to use car seats, approximately 6 million children under 5 in Vietnam will benefit from this policy. If applied to children under 10 years of age or less than 1.35 m tall, approximately 15 million children would benefit, and injuries could be reduced by 52% compared to using seat belts alone.
If the age limit for using car seats were raised to 12 years or less than 1.5 meters tall (currently regulated in about 20 countries), approximately 15 million children would benefit.
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