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ffective January 2020, Malaysia made the use of child safety seats (Child Restraint System/CRS) mandatory in private vehicles, a move aimed at improving the safety of children travelling in cars.
However, five years on, the requirement appears to have been largely ignored, with many parents and guardians still not taking seriously a measure introduced to protect the lives of their young children.
Some parents even drive with their children on their laps, while others allow their children to move freely in the back seat without any form of protection.
In Malaysia, the CRS regulation was gazetted by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) under the Road Transport Act – Motor Vehicles (Seatbelt and Child Restraint System) Rules 1978 (Amendment 2019) – and enforced on Jan 1, 2020.
According to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), CRS usage in Malaysia remains low at around 30 percent, even though five years have passed since the regulation was enforced.
In comparison, in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, more than 74 percent of parents with children aged 0 to 7 use in-car safety devices like CRS, based on a survey by Axkid, a leading child safety seat manufacturer.
This raises the question: why has a well-crafted regulation, supported by awareness campaigns, still failed to become part of our safety culture? Why is CRS still seen as an option rather than a necessity?
ATTITUDE
Addressing these concerns, MIROS director-general Associate Prof Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak said the issue goes beyond compliance with the law and touches on understanding, culture and societal attitudes.
She said raising awareness among road users about the importance of CRS requires helping them understand how the device enhances protection for their children.
In the recent fatal accident in Sungai Rengit–Kota Tinggi, a child safety seat became a lifesaver when six-month-old baby Nur Laylaa Batrysha survived despite both her parents perishing in the crash, reminding us of the crucial importance of using a CRS in vehicles. Pix credit: Police.
“CRS is scientifically designed to protect children during a collision by distributing and absorbing impact forces, preventing their bodies from being thrown forward or trapped by adult seat belts,” she told Bernama.
Citing international studies, she said a properly installed CRS can reduce infant fatalities by up to 71 percent, while for children aged one to four, the reduction rate can reach 54 percent.
“It must also be remembered that adult seat belts are designed for an adult’s anatomy, not a child’s. In a collision, the belt can snap against a child’s neck, face or abdomen, causing severe internal injuries,” she explained.
Currently, CRS is mandatory for children weighing under 36 kilogrammes, below 135 centimetres in height and under 12 years old. All CRS units must also comply with international standards UN R44 or UN R129.
Responding to questions about the low adoption of CRS in Malaysia, Siti Zaharah said a study by MIROS in 2024 found that many parents, especially those from B40 households, perceive the car seats as expensive and unaffordable, believing that only middle- or high-income families can purchase high-quality models.
“Besides that, some parents assume short trips are harmless and place their child on their lap. Others say their children refuse to sit in a CRS because they have not been accustomed to it from a young age.
“Early ‘training’ is crucial… ideally from the very first day a child rides in a vehicle,” she added.
Another challenge involves technical aspects such as proper installation and matching the CRS model to the vehicle type.
Recognising these constraints, MIROS developed the FitSURE programme, an innovative initiative that helps parents match CRS models to different vehicle types to ensure compatibility and optimal safety.
Full information on FitSURE is available on the ASEAN NCAP website, and according to Siti Zaharah, the programme is a good example of how technology-based interventions can transform public perceptions of child in-car safety.
ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES
Siti Zaharah also warned that individuals who fail to comply with the CRS regulation can be fined RM300. However, enforcement currently faces several limitations, including the need for technical expertise among enforcement officers, such as the police and JPJ personnel.
“Enforcing the CRS regulation is not as straightforward as checking a seat belt. It requires technical skills, such as verifying the seat’s orientation and proper installation, which is time-consuming and must be done manually. For this reason, enforcement is being carried out in stages, with an initial focus on education and public advocacy,” she explained.
International studies show that properly installed CRS can reduce infant mortality rates by up to 71 percent, while for children aged one to four years, the mortality reduction rate reaches 54 percent. Small picture on the left (MIROS Director, Assoc Prof Ir. Ts. Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak).
Even so, she said parents should not wait for full enforcement to begin using CRS because “a child’s safety is not something that can be postponed or practiced only out of fear of being fined; it is a matter of responsibility and love”.
She said MIROS surveys have shown that fear of summonses is not the main reason parents comply with the law – rather, it is their understanding of why CRS is important.
“To influence behaviour, there must be a combination of education, understanding and access. Parents need to be educated on how to use CRS, understand its importance and have access to affordable options,” she said.
To address issues surrounding CRS usage, MIROS has introduced several comprehensive initiatives, including the Malaysian Child Occupant Safety Training Programme (MyCOSTP), which provides training to sales representatives, nurses, enforcement officers and road safety advocates.
“This ensures that anyone interacting with parents can offer accurate advice on choosing and installing CRS. As of 2025, more than 1,000 participants, including enforcement officers nationwide, have undergone this training,” she said.
MIROS also conducts awareness campaigns at hospitals, clinics, schools and on social media, as well as CRS installation demonstrations in public places and at mobile exhibitions.
However, according to Siti Zaharah, the biggest barrier remains cost. To overcome this, MIROS and the Ministry of Transport implemented the MyCRS programme in 2022 and 2023, offering a 50 percent subsidy for CRS purchases to low- and middle-income families.
She said the programme saw an overwhelming response, with 63,248 recipients benefiting from subsidies of up to RM150 per CRS unit in 2022, and another 66,959 recipients in 2023. However, the government did not continue the programme in subsequent years.
“This programme showed that when financial assistance is available, compliance rises significantly. Therefore, we hope the government will consider reinstating the subsidy, but in a more targeted manner for B40 families and new parents,” she said.
SAFETY CULTURE STILL LACKING
According to road safety experts, Malaysia’s safety culture remains weak because many parents do not view CRS as a necessity but merely an option.
Dr Kulanthayan K.C. Mani, a professor at the Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, said this stems from a long-held perception that if an unsafe practice has “never caused harm”, it is assumed to be safe.
When a child is accustomed to sitting in a children safety seat from day one, it becomes a routine that builds a sense of security and love.
“For example, someone may have spent years transporting their child without a car seat and nothing happened. This reflects the illusion of control, that is, the tendency to believe one can avoid risk simply because they have been ‘safe’ in the past,” he said.
What is more worrying, he added, is the fact that many still misunderstand the purpose of CRS, with some believing it prevents collisions, when in fact CRS is designed to reduce the severity of injuries during a crash.
The Malaysian Road Safety Council member added that many Malaysians tend to comply only when enforcement is strict, but revert to old habits once monitoring decreases, which is a sign that society still relies on external enforcement rather than internal conviction.
A strong safety culture, he said, must be built on belief and moral responsibility, shifting from “complying because of the law” to “complying because of trust in the safety and protection offered by CRS”.
“Just as we wear a helmet even when no police are watching, parents must make the use of CRS part of their daily routine,” he stressed, adding, “In a crash, the car stops instantly, but the human body continues moving at its original speed. Without CRS or a seat belt, a child will be thrown forward or sideways, hitting hard surfaces like the dashboard or other passengers.
“The human body can only withstand impact at around 30 kilometres per hour; beyond that, collision force can cause serious injuries and children have an even lower tolerance. If adults can only withstand 30 km/h, children tolerate even less. That is why a car seat is essential: it distributes and absorbs crash forces.”
SHIFTING SOCIAL NORMS
Agreeing that cost remains a major reason many people do not comply with CRS requirements, Kulanthayan suggested that the government reinstate subsidies similar to the MyCRS programme or explore other mechanisms to reduce CRS prices. Indirectly, he said, this would also discourage consumers from purchasing counterfeit or non-certified products.
He also stressed the importance of parents and other stakeholders understanding the technical aspects of CRS use to avoid errors during installation.
It is safe to say that the safety of children is not something that can be postponed. It is not a matter of lawsuits, but of responsibility and love.
“If a car seat is installed incorrectly, even an expensive one will fail to function during a crash. Retailers must therefore be trained so they can explain how to install a CRS in a language that parents can easily understand,” he added.
Meanwhile, psychologist Dr Alizi Alias said the habit of sitting in a car seat must begin from infancy, not when the child is older.
“When a child is placed in a safety seat from day one, it becomes a routine that builds a sense of security and love. This approach is not coercion but part of secure attachment, where the child learns that safety is a form of parental love,” he told Bernama.
He said when children consistently see their parents fastening seat belts and placing them in a CRS, they see these actions as normal behaviour.
“This creates a mental script that safety is an expression of love, not a burden,” he added.
He also said campaigns encouraging the public to use child safety seats should not only show tragedies but also how to prevent them – turning fear into strength.
“For example, a message like ‘You can prevent this tragedy by using a car seat’ can inspire hope rather than cause fear,” he said.
The psychologist added that genuine love must be reflected in consistent action, noting that many parents experience cognitive dissonance – they know car seats are important, yet they prioritise comforting their child when they cry.
“But true love is not only about comforting their child… it is also about protecting them. Parents must understand that even at 30 km/h, the impact (from a collision) is more than what a small body can withstand. Awareness must come not just from information but from the heart’s fear of losing a child.
“In the end, these principles come back to spiritual values and moral responsibility. In Islam, protecting life (hifz al-nafs) is among the highest objectives of the Shariah. So use a car seat, not out of fear of fines but out of hope to see your child grow up safely under loving and mindful protection,” he said.
