Child car seats will become mandatory today for children under four, with violations punishable by fines of at least NT$500.
With the new policy taking effect today, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三), at the request of legislators, yesterday demonstrated how car seats are to be properly used.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
While Lin secured the car seat successfully, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Tuoh (
The nation's first regulations on car seats state that children under the age of four must be seated in approved car seats in the back seat while riding in cars.
Wang suggested, however, that the ministry consider a grace period of a few months, allowing families to familiarize themselves with the policy and the proper usage of car seats.
Lin said that during the initial phase of the policy's implementation, the government would primarily be issuing warnings to violators, but did not rule out fines for violators.
Several lawmakers complained that the new regulations were confusing and said the ministry had not done enough to educate people on proper car seat usage.
"According to recent surveys, 80 percent of those polled do not know how to properly install car seats," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wang Yu-ting (王昱婷) said.
People First Party Legislator Lee Hung-chun (
"How are families with several children supposed to cope when the children are crying in the backseat? Have studies been done to prove exactly why car seats are dangerous in the front seat?" Lee asked, suggesting that air bags could be removed if they posed a danger to young children in the front.
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