Children are our most precious assets — and it’s therefore surprising that only one child in 50 is actually properly secured while travelling in vehicles on UAE roads.
This surprising fact also shows why the death rate in motor accidents for children under 14 is three times higher in the UAE than the global average.
The statistics come from the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi and Dubai Health Authority and underline the need for a comprehensive law for car seats for children. Any trip on our roads shows children clambering over parents in front seats, leaning out of windows and sunroofs, or playing in the backseat.
The reality is that car seats do work. They need to be age appropriate, properly installed and children themselves need to be buckled in.
There is a glaring need for proper enforcement of the only current existing law, and for new legislative tools to ensure the safety of our children.
