News | UAE

New rules issued on installing children's car seats

Weight to be key factor behind seating norms approved by Ministry of Interior

  • By Iman Sherif, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 June 27, 2011
  • Gulf News

Click: child safety campaign
  • Image Credit: Supplied picture
  • A specifically designed child car seat should be used, and one that is appropriate to your child’s size, weight and age.

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Interior's High Committee for Child Protection passed new laws for installing children's car seats.

"The safety and protection of children drove us to introduce new seating requirements," said Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary General for the office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who heads the High Committee.

Children, who are nursing or less than one year old, must be seated in a child car seat to prevent their slipping off their car seats. For children six-nine months old, or those weighing under 10kg, seats must face the rear of the car.

Seats can face forward for children from nine months to four years of age and weighing 9kg-18kg. Seat boosters can be used for children four years to six years of age and weigh 15kg-25kg. Support cushions can be used for children six years-11 years and weigh 22kg-36kg.

Al Nuaimi called for the implementation of laws passed by Britain for mandating child car seat/seatbelts on vehicles taking children's age and weight into consideration. "As children vary in height and weight, seat belts must be used for all children under 135cm or weigh less than 36kg. "

The official also added that parents should consider changing their car seats to new ones complying with safety practices of laws R44.3 or R44.04, implemented in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

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Comments (13)

  1. Added 16:32 June 27, 2011

    These seats should be compulsary in cars travelling on roads at speeds higher than 80 km/hr. Drivers with small children as passengers should take full caution. Nevertheless, could someone please give us the statistics of the importance of these children car seats on the total number of vehicular accidents with injuries or casualties?

    Manning, Manila, Philippines

  2. Added 15:54 June 27, 2011

    for once - a good move. i really get scared when i see children sitting/ standing in the front seat or for that matter on the back seat but without a seat belt.

    ted, dubai, United Arab Emirates

  3. Added 14:21 June 27, 2011

    The Safety of children traveling in vehicles is very important for every motorists driving on the roads. that is why the authorities are developing and enforcing safety regulations, raising awareness and sharing information too. Child car seats make road travel safer for your child and not just by [ displaying] a child on Board sign. If parents can shell out a huge amount of money in buying cars then there is no excuse for not buying a child passenger seat for your child. Parents have an important role to play and they should not be ignorant when it comes to watching their own children. keeping a child car seat keeps a child in place so that in a sudden stop or crash your child has increased protection. this will reduce the chances of serious injury or even death. proper installation and use of child restraints is important. Each of us must do our part to make roads travel safer for children. Months back when i was returning from Al Ain I was shocked to see an infant sitting on the lap of the father on the drivers seat. the worst part was that the infant was holding the steering and the father was just watching what the infant was doing. i was really shocked and i wanted to report this to the police but i could not trace the number plate. why do we need to unnecessarily wait for some thing to happen. There are rear-facing infant seats, forward-facing child seats and booster seats. They are all designed to protect children. If children are seated behind the car safely then the driver can look forward and concentrate when he/ she is driving. Many times i have seen drivers keeping infants on their lap and driving which is really dangerous. such drivers have to be slapped with a fine.

    Mathew Litty, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  4. Added 14:09 June 27, 2011

    Good question by Ganesh, I too would like to know how this is planned to implemented by taxi commuters and bus commuters carrying children? Will they have a kit or should the commuters carry around a car seat?

    rejith moosa, abu dhabi, United Arab Emirates

  5. Added 12:53 June 27, 2011

    what would be the case if any infant or minor children are travelling by taxi with parents?

    Anonymous, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  6. Added 12:40 June 27, 2011

    i agree with the safet issues but family of 5 with 3 kids how will you manage to fit 2 seat with an adult to sit.

    Anonymous, abu dhabi, United Arab Emirates

  7. Added 12:14 June 27, 2011

    Thank God...In the West this has been normal practice for years to protect children when riding in a vehicle, with heavy penalties and fines for those who don't comply. I was shocked that this law was not implemented in this country, particularly with the high rate of accidents and speed. Too many times I have seen children standing in the car, hanging out the window, sitting on a passengers lap, etc...If the driver was to have an accident a child standing in the car would go flying through the windscreen.

    Amirah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  8. Added 12:10 June 27, 2011

    Thank God...

    Amirah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  9. Added 11:15 June 27, 2011

    As a visitor,with many visits to Dubai, two things strike one the most. First is incessantly dangerous driving at speeds, lane cutting and not maintaining safe braking distance between vehicles that happens on roads at high speeds ,by careless driving. To make matter more dangerous,many or most are on mobile use ,or pouring blazingly loud music Not only they are at risk,but they pose a bigger danger to pedestrians who wait long just to cross the roads or to buses and other cars. Drivers do not seem to care to maintain safe breaking distances between them,therefore it invariably it ends into heap of multiple car collisions especially on busy roads or intercity roads. Fatalities are unavoidable if reckless drivers do not get punished fast and hard.. Second is safety of small school kids in cars or school buses.in absence of safety belts and proper and proven seating for kids It is dangerous. to their life and limbs. It is heartening to learn some mandatory moves are afoot for safety seats for kids ,in cars. It is fine,and commendable, but what about school buses ? One expected thinning of car population on roads ,post launch of metro rail in Dubai,but one see the opposite,less cars,but more speed and more dangerous drivers. Dubai is not safe until strict driving rules are implemented, and for a size and road coverage it has, the severe and fatal accidents numbers will prove that it is not safe Some pedestrians also recklessly and dangerously jump over road dividers,many get knocked due to speeds

    arvind, mumbai, India

  10. Added 11:09 June 27, 2011

    how it possible for two children we have to install two or how

    Sarfaraz Alam, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

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