After postponement and consideration, the regulation on the use of safety equipment for children in cars (expected to be applied from January 1, 2026) has now officially taken effect. Behind the story of the children's chair is not an administrative procedure, but the safety and lives of young children.
However, as soon as the regulation was announced, many... debates immediately arose. Why are only family cars required to have children's seats, while taxis, contract cars, tourist cars... do not? Why are children under 10 years old but over 1.35m tall not eligible to use seats? Do older people, only 1.35m tall, be considered children...?
Those concerns are well-founded. Because a child sitting in a private car or a taxi faces the same risk if a collision occurs. Traffic accidents do not distinguish between domestic cars or service cars. Not to mention, domestic cars are always maintained and cared for more carefully than shared public transport. Therefore, in essence, children need to be protected in all circumstances.
However, the law not only solves the ideal, but also must consider feasibility. Currently, there are many taxis, contract cars, and service cars nationwide. If all are required to be fully equipped with suitable seats for each age, weight, and height of children, a series of difficulties will immediately arise in terms of costs, operation and management.
A newborn seat is completely different from a 5-year-old or 9-year-old seat. It is impossible to require taxi drivers to always bring 3-4 types of seats to be ready to serve all customers. Therefore, the temporary suspension of the law for passenger transport business vehicles can be understood as a step on the roadmap. Initially applied to family cars, the easiest place to implement. Then continue to evaluate and improve.
This does not mean that service cars have the right to ignore the safety factor for children. The field needs to be researched to gradually raise the standard in the future. Because some developed countries have followed that path. Initially applied to private cars, then expanded to passenger transport services when social conditions permit.
More importantly, don't look at the children's seat only through the lens of a fine of 800,000 VND to 1 million VND. A sudden brake at a speed of 50km/h can also turn a child weighing several tens of kilograms into a "flying object" in the car compartment. In many accidents, adult seat belts are not enough to protect young children. In particular, a "Baby in Car" stamp affixed to the rear of the car like many parents today is even more irreplaceable for a child's seat. That seat is not to deal with traffic police. It exists to protect their own children.
Maybe today many people still find it inconvenient. There are many real situations that cause public controversy. But the direction of the policy is correct.
Civilized society is not measured by the number of cars circulating on the road. It is measured by how we protect the most vulnerable. And on every trip, children are always the first passengers to be prioritized for protection.
