CNA: More drivers caught for flouting child seat belt rules

[Icedbs]

I seen many mothers sitting on the passenger side with kids on their lap.

 

These should get double the fine because they intentionally didn't want to secure the kid.

 

 

 

 

[TVT]

I seen many mothers sitting on the passenger side with kids on their lap.

 

These should get double the fine because they intentionally didn't want to secure the kid.

Maybe the car is full of people or stuff at back seat, so no choice must put one child in front passenger seat with an adult?

 

Give chance lah!

[Nonewid]

prob TP should focus more on catching drivers for using HP, spoilt brakelights, botak tyres etc.. where there is danger created to others.

 

Not strapping up kids? When an accident happen then they'll learn lo. So much emphasis has been made about the importance of car seats, if they dunwan to heed, then too bad lo, since it doesnt pose any dangers to other road users, just their own kids.

[Ichibawa]

Which caused more accidents? Drivers who doesn't have their young ones buckled up or drivers who drives recklessly, switch lanes abruptly, doesn't switch on their headlights, etc?

[TVT]

Which caused more accidents? Drivers who doesn't have their young ones buckled up or drivers who drives recklessly, switch lanes abruptly, doesn't switch on their headlights, etc?

It is "drivers who drives recklessly, switch lanes abruptly, doesn't switch on their headlights, etc" that caused more accident... IMO.

[Eyke]

it's not a matter of causing accidents, it's abt protecting the children from their parents,/driver's stupidity

[Beethong]

Seriously please go catch those who drive and ride with handphones on hand. I have seen A LOT of these.

Illegal modifications, botak tyres, faulty headlights... vs child seat, all needs to be enforced but which one most likely to cause accidents / collisions / whatever.

 

I agree with you. TP should be out in full force catching people who drive dangerously rather than people who overlook the safety seat of their kids. What about those giving a ride to relative with babies? What about taking taxi with babies? My son used to release himself off the childseat after he knew how to but because I always travel with my wife attending to him, she will belt him back up. Good thing he now got used to beltting up. But I am sure if i was alone with him it will be hard to manage. That said its not that i condone people without childseat but I wish they could have put in more effort on those serious offenders.

 

The irony is I see people beating traffics light, change lane abruptly without signalling, driving while using hand phone etc and they are doing these because they know they can get away with them, then now reading newspaper talking about TP catching people for lesser offends. I wonder is the TP proud of this?

Edited September 14, 2012 by Beethong

[Ichibawa]

The law is made such probably some of their relatives are selling child seats.

[Fooblack]

Some active kids likes to move around, its very hard to stop them, especially if there is only one adult in the car and he/she is driving. Even if you buckle them up, later they will unbuckle and jump around.... Eg. if the child sits on left side and saw a interesting thing on the right side, very naturally they will move to right side...

 

if you think it is a matter of life and death, should a parent not do what is necessary to get the kid to comply and obey? if need be, just bring a cane unto the car and i am sure compliance will be smooth...

 

this is the same as crossing road and traffic lights etc. even if the kid insists, we can't allow them to cross at their risks. i dun see the difference bet the 2 scenario.

 

not being self-righteous here.. but i do see the importance and perils of not belting up. you may be the safest and best driver, it just take a goondu and dreamer on the road to create an accident...

[Joseph22]

it's not a matter of causing accidents, it's abt protecting the children from their parents,/driver's stupidity

yeah because children are limited resources in singapore.

[Silver_blade]

if you think it is a matter of life and death, should a parent not do what is necessary to get the kid to comply and obey? if need be, just bring a cane unto the car and i am sure compliance will be smooth...

 

this is the same as crossing road and traffic lights etc. even if the kid insists, we can't allow them to cross at their risks. i dun see the difference bet the 2 scenario.

 

not being self-righteous here.. but i do see the importance and perils of not belting up. you may be the safest and best driver, it just take a goondu and dreamer on the road to create an accident...

Agree. It is parent's duty to make sure kids learn the right things. Grown ups just have to sit down and explain to the kids why they have to be buckled up. Give them a choice...be buckled up and go out with the rest of the family or stay home.

 

[Joseph22]

Parents say they find it challenging to belt up their children.

 

"You need to offer some incentives, sweets and all sorts of funny things, all the distractions. It actually has its practical issues."

 

"The kids find it uncomfortable but we try to force it onto them. Otherwise, we just don't move off because it is important for them, for their safety."

 

"Of course as a parent, we just need to tell them that this is for their safety. If I'm struggling, if they refuse to put the seat belt on, I just use force to buckle them up. After that, they just cry a little, then it's ok."

 

One psychologist says it's understandable that kids do not like to be restrained, but parents need to think safety first and not give in to their children.

 

Dr Qu Li, Assistant Professor, Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, said: "Parents need to know more about how to deal with the situation and more about safety issues. For example, in Singapore, once in a while, we will see parents putting young children at the front passenger seat, which is not safe at all. Some parents may think this seat is safe, there is an air bag to protect the children. For younger children who are so short, when the air bags blow open, it will completely cover their face. They can't breath. They will die."

 

She said adults need to get creative when teaching kids the importance of belting up.

this portion really talk nonsense.

 

if they dont belt up. then just dont go out.

 

one time is enough to let them know that dont belt out is no going out. dont need any trick or tips.

 

[Fooblack]

this portion really talk nonsense.

 

if they dont belt up. then just dont go out.

 

one time is enough to let them know that dont belt out is no going out. dont need any trick or tips.

 

yeah, agreed. kids actually learn very quickly haha.

 

actually one key pricinciple in parenting is the word "consistent". once we insist and get the kiddo to be buckled up consistently (i.e. everytime), there is no excuse and less risks of "power-struggles" in the car on whether they can go unbuckled.

 

ever since my 2 kids were "forced" to sit in their infant car seats since they were infants, i have seldom had the problem to get them to stay buckled. even at times when they whine or try to arm-twist to get out... I jus refuse to give in (not even once) or threaten to go home.. they will learn very quickly compliance is a win-win option haha.

[Sga54g]

Which caused more accidents? Drivers who doesn't have their young ones buckled up or drivers who drives recklessly, switch lanes abruptly, doesn't switch on their headlights, etc?

Actually I feel that parents who do not buckled up their young ones could be dangerous as well cos they may get distracted when things happened to the kids. Their eyes might be off the road for a moment & that's when accidents happened!

Heard of a driver who was hit head-on while waiting at junction cos the mum driver bend & pick up the fries that her kid dropped on the floor... The driver was like seeing a car heading towards him but never see the driver's head at all!

[Fuelsaver]

To those who think it's easy to coax toddlers into car seat n buckle, I await ur response when u have kids. I'm not saying it's totally impossible but there were times I weren't able to do it. N ur toddler have to only encounter w TP once which was better than how I explained to my then toddler umpteen times about the consequence of being caught n fine by TP. Luckily only warning then.

 

I'd suggest a trend analysis of veh accident n tackle top 3 to 5 causes of accident. A series of action plans r then to be rolled out fr there like heartland campaigns, year round incentives besides enforcement n surveillance.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Fuelsaver

[Fooblack]

To those who think it's easy to coax toddlers into car seat n buckle, I await ur response when u have kids. I'm not saying it's totally impossible but there were times I weren't able to do it. N ur toddler have to only encounter w TP once which was better than how I explained to my then toddler umpteen times about the consequence of being caught n fine by TP. Luckily only warning then.

 

I'd suggest a trend analysis of veh accident n tackle top 3 to 5 causes of accident. A series of action plans r then to be rolled out fr there like heartland campaigns, year round incentives besides enforcement n surveillance.

 

yes, it is indeed not easy. i have 2 young kids. both cried for entire journey (e.g. seng kang to yishun for 20+ min) first time we put them into their car seats. we didnt bow to their prolonged whinning. it may seems harsh (endless scoldings from mum in law in the same car!) but we knew what we were doing.

 

i was determined to do it and it was never a negotiable matter. I knew in my head that once i made 1 single exception, i will end up paying for this compromise later on.

 

as some others said, if the kid refuse to buckle up, just stop the car or head home. the kid will learn to respond very quickly...

 

[TVT]

as some others said, if the kid refuse to buckle up, just stop the car or head home. the kid will learn to respond very quickly...

What if you need to rush to somewhere and the kids just refuse to buckle up? Still go home and miss your appointment?

[Silver_blade]

Depend on how important is that appointment, either cancel it or let the kids buckle up and cry/scream. Which is more important, kids' safety or appointment? Any way, everyone may have different views on child safety. I have my kids buckle up in infant/child seats every time they are travelling in our car since the day their left the hospital for home. Even when travelling overseas and I needed transport from airport to hotel, I will request for child seats even if it means paying extra for it.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Silver_blade