Die Hoorn recently reported on the dangers of illegal and overcrowded school transport in South Africa, highlighting how children are often packed into unroadworthy vehicles without seatbelts or proper supervision.
Every journey should end safely, yet thousands of South African children, travelling in cars and taxis without the correct restraints puts them in real danger.
Car seats and boosters are carefully engineered to protect children from serious injury but too often, they are ignored, leaving the most vulnerable passengers exposed.
A recent study by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) highlights that Regulation 213 of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) mandates that infants must be secured in an appropriate Child Restraint System (CRS) when travelling in a motor vehicle.
However, this requirement notably excludes public transport vehicles such as minibus taxis, minibuses and buses, a gap that directly contradicts the fundamental principles of child safety. Thousands of children who rely on public transport are therefore left without adequate protection, underscoring the urgent need for more inclusive and equitable road safety legislation.
Properly certified car seats significantly reduce the risk of death and injury, making universal access and enforcement a shared responsibility across both public and private sectors.
The correct use of CRSs is one of the most effective ways to prevent serious injury and loss of life. RTMC data show that properly certified CRSs can reduce mortality rates by 70% for infants (birth to twelve months) and 50% for toddlers aged one to four years.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirms that correctly installed car seats significantly lower the risk of injury in road traffic collisions.
A 2020 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, supported by the AA, revealed that fewer than 8% of South African children travel in vehicles correctly restrained.
These statistics reflect not only a public safety failure but a societal one, with limited awareness, affordability and enforcement placing thousands of young lives at risk each year.
Under current legislation, all seatbelts and CRSs must comply with South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) specifications: SABS 1080 for adults and SABS 1340 for children. These standards ensure that seatbelts, buckles and CRSs perform reliably under impact, reducing injury severity and saving lives.
The AA calls for urgent attention to the safety gap affecting public transport, arguing that children using minibus taxis and buses deserve the same level of protection as those in private vehicles.
By highlighting the importance of SABS-approved equipment, the AA aims to empower families to make informed decisions while urging industry stakeholders to enforce and improve safety standards consistently.
Selecting a child car seat is a vital safety investment. The AA recommends considering the following:
• Always ensure the model is at least SABS 1340 certified.
• Match the seat to your child’s height, weight and developmental stage, from rear-facing for infants and children aged zero to seven years, to forward-facing for children aged seven to eight years, and boosters for older children up to the age of twelve.
• Ensure the seat fits your car’s seatbelt system or ISOFIX anchors. Poor fit compromises protection.
• A properly installed seat should not move more than two to two and a half centimetres side-to-side or front-to-back.
• Prioritise seats with energy-absorbing shells, robust side-impact protection, and secure restraint systems (five-point harness, top tether, or correctly fitted three-point/lap belts).
• Ease-of-use ensures safety is sustainable, quick buckles and accessible designs matter.
• Seats degrade over time and after impacts. Always check the manufacturing date and overall condition.
Every journey matters, and every child deserves protection. Using properly certified car seats and boosters can prevent serious injury and save lives, yet thousands of children in South Africa still travel unrestrained.
Safety is a right, not a privilege, and it is up to parents, transport operators, and policymakers to ensure every child reaches their destination safely.
Unrestrained children at risk on South African roads
Photo: istockphoto.com