Are Taxi safer than Private Cars? No need child seat

[Scb11980]

Parents scramble for child car seats

 

Parents rush to meet new traffic ruling's February deadline to strap in the children.

 

Mon, Jan 16, 2012

The New Paper

 

By Amanda Phua

 

Car seats are meant to prevent kids from flying off their seats during an accident.

 

But a new traffic ruling has led to child seats flying off the shelves as worried parents flock to shops in the hope of meeting next month's deadline to strap in their children.

 

Previously, child restraints were only compulsory for children under the age of eight.

 

But a new traffic rule announced on Dec 23 requires any passenger in a motor vehicle who is shorter than 1.35m to use an appropriate child restraint or booster seat.

 

The news has sent many parents shopping for child seats.

 

A parent, who wanted to be known only as Mr Wong, admits that he does not belt up his three-year-old son, even though he has a child seat he bought a few years ago.

 

Mr Wong, 51, a purchaser for a hardware store, said: "My son doesn't like the car seat and he makes a lot of noise when we put him in it. It's very distracting when I drive, so we just let him sit in the car without a seat belt."

 

Mr Wong said that he is fully aware of the traffic laws and also of the danger that he is putting his son in.

 

While he continues looking for appropriate child seats, he will just drive slower, he said.

 

A police spokesman said the new rule was introduced after consulting the Ministry of Health and reviewing international standards and practices.

 

She added the approved height is similar to regulations in countries such as the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Belgium.

 

BRISK BUSINESS

 

Retailers said that since the December announcement, business has been brisk.

 

Miss Nurlizah, 27, a buyer for Spring Maternity.Nursing.Baby, a shop for baby and maternity products, estimates that they sell about 100 car and booster seats in a month.

 

Although she does not have the exact sales figures for the two weeks since the new year started, Miss Nurlizah said close to 200 pieces have already been sold.

 

"We have sold out almost all our stock."

 

Ms Doreen Lee, a buyer for Robinsons Singapore, said: "Although it is too early to indicate exact sales figures, Robinsons is expecting sales to be positive."

 

Robinsons sales manager Alison Yip said that booster seats were sold out after a sale.

 

She added: "About 40 customers told me that they were buying the seats because of the new law."

 

Mrs Martha Liebman, 41, owner of BabyTown, an online shop selling baby products, said her stock was snapped up so fast she had to start a pre-order for booster seats on Dec 26.

 

Said the mother of two: "A new shipment (of over 100 child and booster seats) arrived last Tuesday and everything was sold out the same day."

 

Mrs Liebman said that the figures were a contrast to her regular sales of booster seats.

 

She said: "I would sell maybe one or two booster seats a month.

 

"So far, I have met two people who bought (a car seat) because they got a ticket. I notice that many Singaporeans stop using car seats after their child reaches the age of four." Mrs Liebman started BabyTown 10 years ago with her husband.

 

She said that as a parent, she is glad that the seat belt rule has been changed.

 

"I would drop my kids of at kindergarten and see so many kids not in car seats.

 

"Maybe those parents were unaware that it is much safer to have a car seat. It's good that people have finally noticed how important a car seat is."

 

MORE ENQUIRIES

 

Agreeing, Mrs Grace Ng, 35, owner of Baby Meadows, a shop in Parkway Parade that sells baby products, said that she has had more enquiries and sales after the announcement.

 

However, she has also noticed that many parents do not know what to look out for when buying a car or booster seat for their child.

 

Mrs Ng explained that there are four categories of car seats.

 

She said: "One of the most ridiculous things that I have heard was someone wanting to buy a booster seat for a nine-month-old baby. If an accident happens, the seat belt will cut across the baby's neck and cause serious injuries.

 

While a child would eventually outgrow his infant car seat, explained Mrs Ng, it does not mean that parents should scrimp on safety. Different types of car seats are available to match children of different ages, she said.

 

"Many people buy the wrong type of car seats. Some do it to save money. Others buy just to comply with the traffic laws."

 

POLICE CLARIFY CHANGES TO RULE

 

The new seat belt rule excludes taxis as it is impractical, said a police spokesman.

 

However, she added, passengers shorter than 1.35m can only sit at the rear of the cab. She said: "Research has indicated that children are at greater risk of injury when travelling in the front seat without proper seat belts or restraints."

 

Under the new rules, anyone shorter than 1.35m, regardless of age, will need to either use a child restraint or a booster seat, or use an adjustable seat belt when travelling in a motor vehicle.

 

The spokesman said that a properly worn seat belt should go over the passenger's torso and lap. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that everyone in the vehicle is properly belted up.

 

DEMERIT POINTS

 

Otherwise, the driver faces a composition fine of $120 and three demerit points.

 

Adult passengers who do not comply with the seat belt rule will be fined $120.

 

If charged and found guilty in court, both can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. Repeat offenders face a maximum fine of $2,000 or jail of up to six months.

 

Last year, about 8,700 motorists were penalised for flouting the seat belt rule. Of those, 1,000 were caught for not putting a passenger under the age of eight in an appropriate child restraint. To give motorists time to get an appropriate child restraint, traffic police officers will only begin enforcing the new rule on Feb 1.

 

 

[Jman888]

taxi can, what you get are:

 

1. huh, got child seat, how to take 4 adult?

 

2. what? you have a child seat in the boot, how to put our luggage?

 

3. what? price increase by $2 in order to buy child seat for each taxi !!

[Galantspeedz]

taxi can, what you get are:

 

1. huh, got child seat, how to take 4 adult?

 

2. what? you have a child seat in the boot, how to put our luggage?

 

3. what? price increase by $2 in order to buy child seat for each taxi !!

 

sentiments exactly

[Acemundo]

while friends and relatives giving baby a ride still requires child seat. the logic is somewhat off in comparison to the logic for taxis.

 

do they expect the parents to bring the bulky child seat each time they asks friends/relatives for a lift?

[Vectrasonic]

Totally agreed with you on the stupid rule!

[Joseph22]

Totally agreed with you on the stupid rule!

stupid rule?? its for the safety of the child.

 

Anyway, like the anal sex law. its likely wont be enforce unless the child is in serious danger. aka, accident.

 

now police also hardly arrest children not restraint in the car seat. but when accident happen with police report. they will send you demerits point and warning letters.

[Csnewbie]

taxi can, what you get are:

 

1. huh, got child seat, how to take 4 adult?

 

2. what? you have a child seat in the boot, how to put our luggage?

 

3. what? price increase by $2 in order to buy child seat for each taxi !!

 

4.huh?...got child seat?.....inside taxi no child's play hor!

Edited January 17, 2012 by Csnewbie

[Kangadrool]

stupid rule?? its for the safety of the child.

 

Anyway, like the anal sex law. its likely wont be enforce unless the child is in serious danger. aka, accident.

 

now police also hardly arrest children not restraint in the car seat. but when accident happen with police report. they will send you demerits point and warning letters.

 

why would police want to arrest children?

[Scb11980]

while friends and relatives giving baby a ride still requires child seat. the logic is somewhat off in comparison to the logic for taxis.

 

do they expect the parents to bring the bulky child seat each time they asks friends/relatives for a lift?

 

 

exactly

 

that is why I USED TAXI as the most grouse example

to highlight the ridiculous rules

 

1. in terms of private car versus taxi, which group has the largest proportion of accidents (small and big)

2. the rule implies ONLY private cars are unsafe, what happen if my friend drives a LORRY, need to buy a baby seat

3. etc to tired to explain the ridiculous rules that our authorities throw out all the time

[Bigbadguy]

A police spokesman said the new rule was introduced after consulting the Ministry of Health and reviewing international standards and practices.

 

She added the approved height is similar to regulations in countries such as the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Belgium.

 

Oh so safety standards they will make it similar to regulations such as UK, Netherlands, Sweden blah blah blah,

So why not the minister also follow their pay since they like to follow the UK so much. [rolleyes]

 

Stupid rule. The best safety measure is to teach all ku ku drivers to practise safety driving and harsher punishment for those reckless drivers and those drivers that cause accident due to reckless driving. (exapmle, Change lane wihtout checking, beating red lights, tailgating, road hogging ect.........)

Prevention is always better then cure =)

[Joseph22]

why would police want to arrest children?

opps. but you get what i mean lah

[Joseph22]

A police spokesman said the new rule was introduced after consulting the Ministry of Health and reviewing international standards and practices.

 

She added the approved height is similar to regulations in countries such as the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Belgium.

 

Oh so safety standards they will make it similar to regulations such as UK, Netherlands, Sweden blah blah blah,

So why not the minister also follow their pay since they like to follow the UK so much. [rolleyes]

 

Stupid rule. The best safety measure is to teach all ku ku drivers to practise safety driving and harsher punishment for those reckless drivers and those drivers that cause accident due to reckless driving. (exapmle, Change lane wihtout checking, beating red lights, tailgating, road hogging ect.........)

Prevention is always better then cure =)

yeah you are right. that is why getting a child seat is the best prevention against kuku and reckless driving. while harsher punishment is more like cure for undesirable driving.

[Mustank]

why would police want to arrest children?

 

i told me kids: wait FBI come and catch you then you know ah!

[Jamstart]

I wonder can the child use those seat belt that they were sitting on the adult lap while taking airplane or not, like that can save one seat. Not bulky, save space and taxi also can use. We must think out of the box.

[Bigbadguy]

Can a 4 point harness be use to replace a child seat lol. Think its safer with a 4 point harness. Spread the impact evenly and confirm won't fly lol.

[Bigbadguy]

yeah you are right. that is why getting a child seat is the best prevention against kuku and reckless driving. while harsher punishment is more like cure for undesirable driving.

 

Hmmm to me I think teaching ku ku drivers like us to drive safely is consider prevention. Cos prevent accident from happening. and child seat is the cure in the event of an accident which can't be prevented. Maybe different thinking lol =D

[Ender]

No matter how inconvenient many parents here find it, I still feel this rule will benefit the children more. Kuku drivers you cannot control, but what you can control is reduce the risk of your child or increase their survival chance. These two points is enough for me to consider this rule useful.

[Joseph22]

Hmmm to me I think teaching ku ku drivers like us to drive safely is consider prevention. Cos prevent accident from happening. and child seat is the cure in the event of an accident which can't be prevented. Maybe different thinking lol =D

can remove the us okay joking..

 

problem is ku ku driver are just that kuku. they dont know they are driving dangerously. I had tried to teach and reason with a few kuku driver... its useless.

 

(i am frequent Vech Commander during NS days for MTline. newly commission driver had to be so called trial by me before allow to go on long trip.)