MORE THAN HALF OF KSA PARENTS DON’T KNOW THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD SEAT BELT USE, ACCORDING TO NEW SURVEY
Newsgate360 – Riyadh – More than half (66%) of parents don’t know the legal requirements for child seat belt use in KSA, according to new survey.
Whilst 99% of parents said they require children to wear a seatbelt in the car, the research, conducted by INFINITI Middle East, showed conflicting opinions on the age when the safety practice should be introduced.
30% of those surveyed said that seatbelts should be worn from the age of three, whilst 31% said the age for strapping in was six and above.
According to KSA law, vehicle driver and all passengers have to wear a seat belt at all times regardless of age, and children up to four years must be provided with a child safety seat. The law also bans children under the age of 10 riding in the front seat.
The survey is part of a major new road safety awareness campaign by INFINITI Middle East, promoting the safety of children in vehicles. Called ‘Eyes on You’, the campaign sheds light on parent’s on-road behaviours and the impact these have on children.
“Correct seatbelt use is an ongoing topic of conversation in KSA, and this new survey shows that there is still a lot of confusion amongst parents, when it comes to safety rules,” said Markus Leithe, Managing Director, Middle East, INFINITI. “This new survey, and the ‘Eyes on You’ campaign, aims to draw attention to these crucial safety considerations, reminding parents of their responsibility and how on-road behaviour affects – and is eventually mimicked by – children.”
The ‘Eyes on You’ campaign is closely aligned with KSA’s commitment to tighter road safety laws and seatbelt usage. A comprehensive seat belt law came into place in KSA in 2000, making seat belts for front seat passengers and child safety seats mandatory. This was followed up with more stringent enforcements in 2005, with the introduction of a SAR100 fine for drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt.
Whilst the legal requirements for seatbelt use remain unclear amongst parents, the survey demonstrated strong recognition around the effects this has on children’s perceptions of road safety.
When asked which negative on-road behaviours they believed children were most likely to mimic as adults, over half (55%) of parents agreed it was not wearing seatbelts.
The ‘Eyes on You’ survey involved 1,869 parents across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon.
