Strengthening communication of using of child restraint system and seat-belt policies

. The project funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies through the Global Road Safety Partnership, aiming at raising community’s awareness on using restraint system and seat belt for all car passengers through strengthening communication to promote the enforcement of international law and regulations as well as law on road traffic order and safety of Vietnam.

The national strategy on road traffic order and safety for the 2021 – 2030 period with vision towards 2045 was approved at Decision No 2060/QD-TTg dated December 12, 2020 with overall objectives “Each year, decreasing by 5 - 10% of road traffic deaths and injuries in a sustainable manner with a view to building a society with safe, smooth, convenient, efficient and eco-friendly traffic systems; appropriate, efficacious and effective traffic safety management institutions; safe, modern and eco-friendly traffic infrastructure, means of transport; road users’ possession of knowledge, skills and consciousness of observance of legislation on traffic order and safety, and development of the safe traffic culture; with timely and effective medical emergency and treatment facilities for traffic accident victims; applying advanced scientific and technological achievements to traffic order and safety assurance activities”.

According to a research conducted by the Center for Injury Policy and Prevention Research in 2022: over 40% of cars have children in the front seat, of which almost 23% are children without an adult. Only 1,3% of children use safety devices and are still using adult seat belts. According to global plan for Road Safety 2021-2030 of the United Nations Council, besides current problems such as excessive speed, talking on the phone while driving or operating vehicles after consuming alcohol, the use of restraint system and seat belt for children is a crucial issue which needs being focused. The following issues will be addressed in the implemenation of the project.Raise awareness, provide knowledge on the use of child safety devices, fasten seat belts for all car occupants. The number of people using and buying cars in Vietnam has steadily risen in recent years, with an increase of 10-15% annually in large cities. Most parents do not understand the use of child restraint system for safety or children sitting in the correct position, fasten seat belts when operating cars on the road will minimize the risk of injury to children in the event of a collision or of abrupt deceleration of vehicle. With communication activities of the project, the improvement of the people’s knowledge and enhancement ofthe implementation of seatbelt policies.The children restraint system policy has been newly included in the draft law on road traffic safety and order, but applicable only to children under 4 years old. WHO recommends children under 12 years old or under 1.35 meters in height will not be allowed to sit in the front seats, and all passengers must wear seatbelts in all seating positions. Current situation, a large number of parents lets their children sitting in front seat and or without seat belt when travelling. To prevent injury, it is necessary to supplement in current law regulations recommended by WHO.

Children restraint system devices are not yet readily available in Vietnam, as they are mainly imported from abroad other than made in Vietnam therefore the CRS price is one of the biggest problems as it is expensive while the so-called ‘child safety seat/belt’ products bought from online merchants fail to meet technical requirements. Besides that, a number of cars are not designed with the plug (ISOFIX) which enables CRS installation. Auto manufacturers, automobile associations, CRS suppliers should joint hand to manufacture these devices to meet the customer’s demand.

Enhancing the voluntariness of the people through communication activities and monitoring and imposing strick fines for breaking violations because the compliance with the rules, regulations, policies and laws is still low in Vietnam. Data collection showing the importance of usefulness when application of international requirements in the law on road traffic order and safety because statistic and evidence proofing the effectiveness of application of the international standards on CRS and seat belt is limited. Raising awareness and support of line ministries and relevant stakeholders on the importance of the use of CRS and seat belt to ensure lives and safety of children through communication activities, getting automobile companies’ support and commitment in providing various CRS services and improving the people’s knowledge and enhancing the implemenation of CRS and seat belt policies. The project will partly contribute to the national strategy on road traffic order and safety for the 2021 – 2030 period with vision towards 2045.