MVD Wants Kids To Use Child Seats, Helmets: Transport Minister Says No!
The minister said that baby seats are not readily available in Kerala. So people won’t be able to get access to these quickly. Thus the government will not enforce these right away.
The use of helmets is currently being enforced strictly in Kerala. However, these are mostly for adults. Child helmets are not popular, and neither are they enforced.
The minister said that he would not ‘force’ parents to use child helmets for their kids, but instead only urge them to provide their kids with small helmets if they love them. He said that the transport commissioner only highlighted instructions from the MV Act. They would not be enforced right away.
The Incident
The incident that sparked discussions on child safety occurred in Kerala. A car crashed into a truck. The airbags saved the four adult occupants and killed a two-year-old who was seated on her mother’s lap, in the front passenger seat. When deployed, the passenger airbag pressed against the kid, suffocating her to death.
This tragic incident soon got massive public attention. People started discussing how airbags can be dangerous too. The MVD soon came up with an official statement explaining the dire need to be more aware of the MV Act, clauses and to embrace more efficient and modern safety practices like using child seats, ISOFIX, seat booster cushions or a good Child Restraint System (CRS).
The State Transport Commissioner also announced a phased action plan to enforce these. It had raising public awareness as the primary step, for which social media campaigns will be used. These were said to start this October. An act of stopping and warning the motorists was said to follow. The final stage would be imposing fines and penalties on violators, by December. Going by the minister’s words, this plan of action stands cancelled.
The Right Way To Travel With Your Kid?
Many parents mistakenly believe having the child on the mother’s lap, in the front seat, is safer than seating him/her in the back. Also, many forgo using a Child Restraint System (CRS). Both these can invite trouble.
Modern cars are equipped with front passenger airbags. In the event of a crash, these airbags open with explosive force. They deploy with such intensity that even adults often sustain facial injuries. In the case of a child, a suffocation to death is very probable.
For a child to legally sit in the front seat, they must be at least 12 years old or 135 cm tall and must wear a seatbelt while the vehicle is in motion. Failing to comply with these rules could lead to a fine of ₹1,000, imprisonment for up to three months, or a suspension of the driver’s license for the same period.
Other Key Takeaways From The Minister’s Media Address
The Transport Minister also said that the government could soon introduce digital licenses. The 2019 amendment to the MV Act legalises digital copies of documents. The government is working towards implementing digital licenses soon. Physical licences will co-exist but will be delivered on demand, via Akshaya centres.
The Kerala MVD will also launch a mobile application soon that will help the public to notify traffic violations. The central government is already offering incentives for reporting traffic violations. A similar system could be implemented in the state as well.