CHENNAI: The death of a two-year-old girl who was flung out of a car in a Delhi crash has once again highlighted a critical safety gap in India — the lack of child car seats.
The toddler was flung out after the car was hit from behind by a speeding SUV on Tuesday (April 14), fatally injuring her when she hit the asphalt. She was seated on a woman’s lap in the front passenger seat, with the window open as the air conditioning was not working.
In February this year, Aalin Sherin Abraham from Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district suffered critical injuries in a road accident near Kottayam while travelling without a child restraint system. She was declared brain-dead the next day, and her organs were donated to four children, making her the youngest organ donor in the State.
These incidents underline a critical but often overlooked issue: the lack of proper child safety restraints in vehicles. Here is why child car seats are essential:
In many Indian cities, young children are still seated on an adult’s lap or left unrestrained inside vehicles. In a sudden brake or crash, this can be extremely dangerous. The force of impact can make it impossible for an adult to hold onto a child, no matter how tight the grip.
Seatbelts are designed to keep occupants in place and spread crash forces across stronger parts of the body. But they are made for adults, not children.
A child’s body is smaller and still developing. Their bones are more flexible, and their chest and pelvis offer less protection. In a crash, more force can be transferred to vital organs like the heart and lungs.
Simply put, a regular seatbelt does not fit a child properly and cannot protect them effectively.
Child car seats are designed to absorb impact and keep children securely strapped in place, significantly reducing the risk of serious injury or death.
When a vehicle is hit, especially from behind, as in this case, the sudden jerk can throw an unrestrained child forward or even out of the vehicle. Open windows, unlocked doors, or improper seating positions increase the risk further.
Even at moderate speeds, the physics involved is unforgiving. A small child can be thrown with a force many times their body weight.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reported that road accidents claimed over 1.5 lakh lives in India in 2022, with a significant number of victims being children who were unrestrained or improperly restrained.
Rear-facing seats (0–2 years): Support the head, neck, and spine; the safest option for infants and toddlers
Forward-facing seats (2–4 years): Designed for slightly older children with a harness system
Booster seats (4+ years): Help position the seat belt correctly across a child’s body
Toddlers should use rear-facing seats and young children forward-facing seats, both installed in the rear of the car. This helps prevent injuries from airbags and front-seat collisions, and protects a child’s fragile neck and spine by distributing crash forces.
-- Holding children on laps instead of using a seat
-- Letting children sit in the front seat
-- Not using seat belts or harnesses properly
-- Choosing the wrong seat for the child’s age and weight
Toddlers should use rear-facing seats and young children forward-facing seats, both installed in the back seat. This reduces the risk from airbags and front-seat impacts, while protecting the neck and spine by distributing crash forces, experts have said.
In 2019, the government of India passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act. Under Section 194B, every child under 14 must be secured in a car using a seatbelt or a child restraint system (CRS).
Carrying children without proper safety restraints is a punishable offence under the law. However, awareness and enforcement remain low, and many families continue to overlook safety measures due to cost concerns or lack of awareness.
A 2019 SaveLIFE Foundation survey found that more than 55,000 children have died in road accidents in India since 2008. It also found that nearly 76 per cent of parents are unaware of child restraint systems in vehicles, and only 20 per cent own helmets for their children.