A report by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), an agency under the Transport Ministry, showed that children transported in private vehicles such as cars, vans, and four-wheel drives, are among the most vulnerable on the road.
The study highlights that 43.8% of casualties are among children aged 1 to 4, and 30.2% among those aged 5 to 9.
In response to rising child fatalities in road accidents, the Transport Ministry has amended the Road Transport Act 1978 – Motor Vehicles (Safety Seat-belts) (Amendment) Rules 2019.
Under this Act, children who weigh less than 36kg, less than 135cm tall, or under 10 years old, are mandated to use Child Restraint Systems (CRS) when travelling in cars.
However, the enforcement is postponed indefinitely at the moment to allow time to properly come up with long-term solutions that will not burden the people.
Meanwhile, the focus has shifted to focus on an advocacy approach to spread awareness to parents regarding the importance of car seats for children.
Today at Combi Malaysia in Mid Valley, Eris Chew, the company’s representative, acknowledged the barriers faced by Malaysian families in adopting CRS such as perceived high costs and limited awareness.
To help address this, Combi Malaysia is committed to bridging the gap and helping raise awareness aside from providing accessible, certified and reliable safety solutions for families.
Combi is a beloved Japanese baby brand known for its dedication to child safety, quality, and innovative design. At Combi Malaysia, we’re proud to build on over six decades of expertise to bring parents products that prioritise safety and enhance the parenting journey. We hope to set a new standard for child passenger safety in Malaysia.
Eris Chew, Combi Malaysia’s representative
Combi Malaysia’s latest CRS addition
Combi Malaysia’s latest innovation is the CrossAge 360, the first Japanese car seat designed for children from birth up to 10 years old weighing up to 36kg, showing an emphasis on longevity use.
CrossAge 360 is tested to meet the latest safety standards, especially the European Standard No. R129 aka the R129 or i-Size. The R129 takes the child’s height and weight into consideration and stress tests the rearward-facing seats.
Some notable features of the CrossAge 360 are:
- Its 360-degree revolving seat with easy one-hand swivel operation allows parents to move the seat easily and safely.
- The seat’s adjustable head and neck rest portion can accommodate the child’s height and growth.
- Its Ultra-Shock Absorbent Material EggShock protects the baby’s head and neck during impact.
- ISOFIX Easy Installation and long usage.
What should parents look for in child car seats?
During the panel discussion, Teoh Jun Wei, the Child Occupant Safety Advisor (COSA) of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), shared a few things to look for when buying a child car seat or CRS.
Teoh said parents should know whether the seats meet the correct safety standards. He shared that the European R129 is the latest standard that follows a strict test protocol.
The second thing to check is the ease and safety of latching the child seat to the car. Most current vehicles use the ISOFIX latch-compatible system in the rear seats so installation is convenient.
When asked whether parents should splurge or opt for more affordable seats, Chew, a mother herself, shared some insights on the important things to consider.
Chew encourages parents to look at the seat’s safety standards and its cost-effectiveness for long-term use following the family’s needs. Other things to consider include the seat’s ventilation and the materials used. This is a useful aspect to look at due to Malaysia’s hot weather.