Infant Car Seats Becoming Mandatory in Iran

Tehran authorities are moving ahead with plans to force parents to buy and install booster seats for children when they travel in cars.  

In the near future, if a child is not seated in a special car seat the driver will be fined. The amount for this traffic offense is similar to the fine for not fastening seatbelts—300,000 rials ($7.5). 

General Mohammad Tarahomi, head of the legal division of the Law Enforcement Forces has said that a series of new laws will soon be passed in this regard, donyayekhodro.com reported. 

Under the new rules, children under 12 years of age will be forbidden from sitting in the front seat; also children under 8 years can only ride if they are placed in a car seat suitable to their size and age.

There are different types of car seats for three age groups: 0-2 years, 2-5 years and 5-8 years, each of which must be installed differently from the rest, the general said. 

He said the subject has been raised with the road safety committee affiliated to the Ministry of Interior as well as the Majlis and the City Council. Traffic police carried out feasibility studies before proposing a bill to the government. 

Using special car seats for kids is not mandatory in Iran and there are no laws prohibiting children under twelve from riding in the front. 

The report does not state whether people riding in taxis will also be included in the new provision.

According to the report, in the nine months to December 20, 2016, 8% of all fatal road injuries (960 of deaths) were children under ten years of age. 

Annually, 2,000-3,000 children lose their lives in traffic accidents in Iran, Ali Gorji, director of Shafa Neuroscience Research Center said earlier this week. “Making use of infant car mandatory will reduce such casualties by 70%-80%.”

Deputy health minister for social affairs, Mohammad Hadi Ayyazi, had earlier said that road accidents are the leading cause of preventable deaths among children and are more prevalent in rural areas. 

Traffic-related fatalities are the leading cause of death in the country among all unintentional fatal injuries inflicted on children under five.

Children, whether on board or off, are more vulnerable compared to adults and thus stricter safety measures should be introduced to protect them. 

Car seats are necessary for infants because children cannot use car seatbelts. In fact seatbelts designed for adults could be deadly to children. When fastened, the seatbelt is placed on children's necks and in case of a sudden brake could severely harm them.   

According to the World Health Organization's road safety reports, nearly 45 people die in road accidents in Iran everyday.