Only 30% Of Malaysian Children Use Car Seats - MIROS

Five years after Malaysia made child safety seats (CRS) mandatory, compliance remains worryingly low, with only about 30% of children properly restrained, according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS). 

In contrast, over 74% of parents in the UK use CRS for children aged seven and under.

MIROS director-general Siti Zaharah Ishak says awareness is the key issue.

 “CRS is scientifically designed to protect children during a collision by distributing and absorbing impact forces, preventing them from being thrown forward or trapped by adult seat belts,” she told Bernama. 

Properly installed CRS can reduce infant fatalities by up to 71%, and for children aged one to four, the reduction can reach 54%. Adult seat belts are simply not built for a child’s anatomy and can cause severe injuries in a crash.

The law applies to children under 36kg, shorter than 135cm, and under 12 years old, and all seats must meet UN R44 or R129 standards. Yet many parents, especially in B40 households, consider CRS expensive and believe only wealthier families can afford them. 

Others assume short trips are safe, letting children sit on laps, or struggle with kids refusing the seats if they haven’t been trained early.

“Early ‘training’ is crucial. Ideally from the very first day a child rides in a vehicle,” Siti Zaharah emphasized. 

Technical challenges also play a role, from correctly installing the seat to ensuring it fits the vehicle. To help, MIROS developed the FitSURE programme, guiding parents on selecting and installing seats safely.

“Checking a CRS is not as straightforward as checking a seat belt. It requires technical verification, which is time-consuming and must be done manually,” she explained, noting that fines of RM300 exist, but initial efforts focus on education and advocacy rather than strict policing.

Zaharah urged parents not to wait for enforcement saying that a child’s safety is not something that can be postponed or practised only out of fear of fines. 

  To influence behaviour, there must be education, understanding, and access. Parents need to know how to use CRS, understand its importance, and have affordable options available,” she concluded.