With the UAE holding the world record for the highest rate of road deaths, isn’t it time we all got car-smart, writes Jane Plunkett

A woman driving too fast kills her unborn baby. A car is seen speeding along Sheikh Zayed Road with a child’s head sticking out of the sunroof.

A man is flung through the window of his vehicle because he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt - is anyone else sick and tired of hearing tragic stories of loss and suffering because of pure negligence, stupidity and a total lack of respect and common sense on the roads?

Worldwide figures show that thousands are killed in traffic accidents every day - an estimated 1.2 million people die each year.

In fact, traffic accidents are well on their way to becoming the third leading cause of global death and disability by the year 2020 - beating malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS, according to the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention The Abu Dhabi Health Authority recently confirmed that the UAE
currently has the highest rate per capita of road deaths in the world - despite of having all amenities like good roads, good driving conditions and modern cars. And guess what? Riding in a car unrestrained is the single greatest risk factor for death and injury among child passengers.
For some people buckling up is a no-brainer, but unfortunately, there seem to be many in this country with no brain. They desperately need to learn that the safest way for children to travel in a car is in a properly-fitted child safety seat appropriate to their height and weight. Using a child car seat cuts the risk of injury or death by as much as 71 per cent.

In March, 7DAYS reported on the launch of a joint campaign from Mamas & Papas (a children’s store) and the RTA, focusing on child safety in cars.
At that time, Mamas & Papas said the RTA had sought a change in the federal law to ensure compulsory use of child car seats. An RTA official also stated that a law was at proposal stage at UAE federal level - but three months later there is still no word on when, or if, the UAE plans to introduce a regulation making child car seats compulsory.

Would you believe - out of ten regional countries, only Saudi Arabia has a law making the use of child seats compulsory.

The Chevrolet ‘Buckle Up Safe Kids’ campaign was launched in the UAE in November 2008. It aims to raise awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding child passenger safety, with the ultimate goal of making the use of child seats compulsory by law.

Here are some of Chevrolet’s tips to keep kids safe on the roads.

Child Safety DOs

1 Your child needs to be in the correct seat for their height and weight.
* Infants up to 14kg should always ride in a rear-facing child seat
* Children between 14kg and 30kg need to ride in a forward-facing
* Children between 30kg and 45kg should ride in a belt-positioning-booster seat
* The child’s ears should not be above the car safety seat’s shell
* The top harness slots of the seat should not be below the child’s shoulders

2 Remember that each car safety seat is different. Read the instructions carefully to ensure you use the car seat correctly.

3 Be a good role model. Always wear your seat belt. This will help your child form a lifelong habit of buckling up


Child Safety DON’Ts
1 The adult belt should not be used by children until they are over 145cm tall.

2 And don’t seat children younger than 12 years in the front seat. It is estimated that children aged 12 and under are up to 36 per cent
less likely to die in a crash if they are in the rear seat.

3 Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an airbag. This can cause death or severe injury.

4 Babies need to ride rear-facing until at least 12 months of age, and until they reach a weight of 4kg. Both benchmarks need to be achieved before they can be turned forward.

5 The harness fit is vital. Retainer clips should be at armpit level. Straps should be snug - you should not be able to pinch any slack. Use upper shoulder slots for forward-facing car seats


What do you think?
Should a law be passed in the UAE to make child car seats compulsory? E-mail your opinions to letters@7days.ae