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Media briefer: Enforcement of RA 11229, or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, to start February 2

Why did child car seat use have to become law?

Road crashes kill about 1.35 M people around the world each year and is the leading cause of death among 5–29-year-olds, states a World Health Organization report. More than 90% of fatalities are from low- and middle-income countries. Road crashes were also found to be one of the 5 top causes of preventable injuries in children, says a joint WHO-UNICEF report. 

With the signing into law in February 2019 of Republic Act 11229, or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, the PH now has laws on all 5 key behavioral risk factors for global road safety: speed, drunk driving, helmet use on motorcycles, seat belt use, and now the use of child restraints. RA 11229 will be enforced starting 2 February 2021. 


What does RA 11229 require/prohibit?

RA 11229 requires that children up to 12 years of age or up to 4’ 11” in height, while inside a covered private motor vehicle… 

  • should each be buckled up in a car seat, also a called child restraint system (CRS), appropriate for the child’s age, height, or weight; 
  • must not sit in the front seats of the vehicle; and 
  • must never be left unaccompanied by an adult, even if strapped in a CRS. 

The law prohibits the promotion, sale, or use of substandard or expired child car seats. Units that meet the standards of the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards should have a PS Mark or an ICC sticker. Child car seats purchased prior to the effectivity of RA 11229, and thus bear neither PS Mark nor ICC sticker, must first be checked and cleared for use by the LTO. 


How can I learn more about RA 11229?

Attend a virtual press conference on Friday, 29 January 2021, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom (register here). 

Representatives from lead implementing agencies, e.g., the Land Transportation Office of the Department of Transportation, the Department of Trade and Industry, and ImagineLaw will be at the presscon to discuss the law and its provisions, implementation, and enforcement and to answer questions. 

Other road safety partners, including celebrity influencer parents Ms. Jolina Magdangal and Regine Tolentino, will also be giving messages of support.  

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