Dubai: Taxi drivers in Dubai are confused over the implementation of the new seat belt law that came into effect on July 1.
With no child seats available in taxis in Dubai, cabbies are not sure how to deal with passengers accompanied by children under the age of four who, according to the new Federal Traffic Law, should be strapped in an age-appropriate seat, while travelling in a vehicle.
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What is worse for taxi drivers is that they haven’t received any official communication from their respective franchises about the development.
“I got to know about the law through radio, I haven’t received any instructions from the management on how to deal with the situation. I don’t know what to say to passengers if they are accompanied by toddlers,” said Mohammad Furqan, a Dubai-based taxi driver.
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Another taxi driver said that he is worried he might get fined by police for allowing a toddler to ride without a child seat, as, according to the law, the driver will be held responsible if passengers are not buckling up.
“I don’t know what to do, it is very confusing. We haven’t received any information from the franchise. Normally when there are any major developments or changes in rules, we get a message on the meter, or on the phone, but that hasn’t happened yet. Either the franchises should equip every taxi with a child seat or the authorities have to clarify who will be penalised in case a passenger is accompanying a toddler,” said Gohar Ali, another Dubai-based taxi driver.
“The authorities should clarify on the standard practice. It should be clarified if we should accept the passengers with toddlers at their own risk or reject them politely on the ground that they don’t have a child seat. Right now, I am scared that if I reject passengers, they will lodge a complaint with the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) and I will get penalised and with target to meet, I can’t afford to have fines,” said M. Hussain, who has been driving a taxi in Dubai for 10 years.
Interestingly, the issue is not just about child seats. Cabbies say even getting regular passengers to buckle up is not easy.
“I often come across passengers who don’t want to buckle up even while sitting in the front passenger seat, and we can’t ask them to get off. Now, to get rear seat passengers to buckle up will be even more difficult, because not all would comply. I don’t know what to do in such cases. The authorities should clearly say that in taxis, passengers are responsible for their behaviour and not the driver, because we can’t force them to follow the rules,” added Ali.
Mandatory seat belts for all passengers and child seats for children below the age of four are among the key updates to the UAE’s Federal Traffic Law that came into effect from the beginning of this month.
Earlier, only the driver and the front passenger were required to buckle up, while child seats were also not mandatory.
According to the new law, driver of the vehicle will be held responsible for providing the child seat and buckling up of passengers, failure to buckle up will cost the driver Dh400 and four black points.
The RTA said that it would issue a statement on the issue soon.
Child seat rules around the world
Germany: Children up to 12 years of age who are less than 150 centimetres tall must ride in a car seat or booster. The law applies to taxis as well, and commuters should either carry their own or book a taxi with a child safety seat by calling ahead.
United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands: Children must be strapped into an age-appropriate car seat or booster either until they are 135 centimetres tall. If a taxi driver doesn’t provide the correct child car seat, children can travel without one, but only if they travel in a rear seat, and wear an adult seat belt if they’re three years or older.
Canada: While child car seats are mandatory, the exact regulations for commuters vary from province to province. In Ontario, for instance, taxi drivers are exempt from the child car seat and booster seat requirements when transporting passengers for hire, but passengers can usually call ahead to book a taxi with a car seat.
United States: Child safety seats are mandatory, but the requirements differ from state to state. Similarly, laws in many states exempt taxi cabs from the child safety seat laws. In others, there is no exception even for taxis. For example, in California, proper safety seats are required in taxis for any child until they are either six years old or weigh more than 27 kilograms.
France: All children under 10 years or less than 135 centimetres in height must use approved child car seats. But there is no requirement to use a child car seat in taxis.
Spain: It’s compulsory to transport children under less than 135 centimetres tall in a child safety seat installed in the rear. Additionally, children are not required to use car seats in the city areas, but they must be in car seats if the journey takes them out of the city.
