No front seats for children - Police warn parents
Adults, especially parents, have been warned to refrain from carrying children below five years in the front seats of their vehicles.
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“A child below five years should not be allowed under any circumstance to sit in the front seat of a car but rather should be in the rear seat. The driver of such a vehicle has a responsibility to ensure that children wear seat belts while in the rear seat. ” the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Alex Amponsah-Asiamah has warned.
DCOP Amponsah-Asiamah, who is the Commanding Officer, Central Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, warned that it was also an offence for anyone to carry a child under 18 years in the rear seat of a vehicle without wearing a seat belt.
Quoting the Road Traffic Act, DCOP Amponsah-Asiamah, said: “A person who contravenes this regulation commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 10 penalty units that is GH¢120 and not more than 50 penalty units that is GH600 or to a term of imprisonment of not more than three months or to both”.
“The driver of any vehicle has a duty to make sure that children in the vehicle wear seat belts. Parents and adults who do otherwise should desist from the act,” he emphasised.
During a ride in town, it was common to find parents and adults drive around with children in the front seats of their vehicles exposing them to grave danger in the event of any collision during the journey.
While some of the children were in seat belts, others were not which made it easier for the children to move around in the seats and in some cases, stand on the seats.
Commenting on the age limit for the usage of adult seat belts by children, DCOP Amponsah-Asiamah said even though in Ghana there were no laws regarding an age limit for the usage of adult seat belts by children, it would be advisable for parents to purchase booster seats or child car seats for use by children below five years.
He added that such special seat belts must be fixed at the rear of vehicles for use by children.
“Seat belts in most vehicles are made for adults bearing in mind their ages, height and weight. If children use adult seat belts, they will not fit in properly because of their small sizes and height.
Hence, if there is any accident, they can easily fall out of the seat belts and get injured. Booster seats are soft and have been designed with the child in mind so they can absorb any impact when there is a crash. It is about the safety of the child,” he added.
In some advanced countries such as the United Kingdom, children are not permitted to use adult seat belts until they are 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first.
Until they are 12 years or 135 centimetres tall, the law requires that children must use a child car seat or a booster seat.