PETALING JAYA: Install a child safety seat in your car, your child's life depends on it.
That was a reminder to parents from Transport Minister Anthony Loke who is urging them to do so as soon as possible.
Loke was commenting on the recent case of a toddler, who was not seated in a child seat or Child Restraint System (CRS) and was flung out of a car along the North-South Expressway following an accident.
"In the incident, the child was fortunate because the car at the back managed to stop in time. Imagine, if the car could not stop in time, wouldn't they (parents of the child) carry regret for the rest of their lives?
"I hope this will serve as a lesson to all on the importance of using the CRS."
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Last November, Loke said no summonses would be issued to parents who fail to use child safety seats within the first six months of its mandatory implementation starting this year.
He had said this was because the ministry wanted to educate first before taking any form of enforcement action.
"Knowing Malaysians, if we say it's not mandatory, there won't be many who will install the CRS. A study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research found that only 30% of vehicle owners have CRS.
"What is important is that we provide awareness and advice. If (the CRS) is not installed, we will not issue summonses, we will issue warnings and reminders first."
While child seats can be expensive, several stakeholders have been working to make them more affordable and accessible.
BMW Group Malaysia has been at the forefront in urging for more partners to come together to support its child car seat subsidy programme for parents in the B40 income group.
The subsidy programme was introduced as part of the BMW Safety 360° initiative. In its first phase, BMW Malaysia, Childline Foundation and Safe ‘n Sound made 150 units of the snskidz Ace infant carrier car seats available at a subsidised price of RM100 each for parents in the B40 income group.
