Car seats are now required for children 12 years old and below following the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act.
The law, which was signed by President Duterte in February 2019, prohibits kids 12 years old and below from taking the front seats in vehicles. Apart from that, the law also requires motorists to use child restraint systems unless the child is at least 4.92 feet tall and can be properly secured using a regular seat belt.
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Violators will be fined P1,000 for the first offense and P2,000 for the second offense. Third-time violators, meanwhile, will be slapped with a P5,000 fine and one-year suspension of their driver’s license.
Although the law takes effect today, authorities will not yet issue traffic violation tickets and instead, conduct an information campaign for two to six months.
The Department of Transportation earlier said that the law aims “to ensure the safety and welfare of child passengers, as well as prevent traffic-related deaths and injuries.”