The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has reminded parents and caregivers that properly restraining children is a legal requirement and a critical safety measure as festive season travel volumes increase.

The RTMC has called on parents and caregivers to ensure that children are properly restrained when travelling on South African roads during the festive season.

The appeal follows concerns raised at roadside checkpoints across the country, where officials have observed that many children are travelling unrestrained, even in vehicles fitted with approved child restraint systems or child seats.

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RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said child safety on the roads remains a serious concern.

“The use of appropriate child restraint systems is not negotiable when travelling with children on South African roads,” Zwane said.

“It is a legal requirement for infants and children under the age of three to be secured in a correctly fitted child restraint seat, and it is a criminal offence to allow a child younger than 14 years to travel unrestrained in a vehicle that is equipped with seatbelts.”

Parents and caregivers have been reminded that children must use age-appropriate car seats or booster seats until they are tall enough for adult seatbelts to fit correctly. This means the lap belt should sit low over the hips, while the shoulder belt must cross the chest or shoulder, not the neck.

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Even when children have outgrown booster seats, they are still required to wear seatbelts at all times, whether seated in the front or the back of a vehicle.

Zwane stressed that the responsibility for child safety rests entirely with the driver or responsible adult.

“Every driver is expected to check that child seats or booster seats are properly secured and in working condition before every journey. A properly installed car seat should not move more than an inch from side to side or front to back,” he said.

The RTMC also warned parents against distracted driving. Drivers are advised to stop at a safe rest area if a child needs attention, feeding or a break. All luggage and loose items should be securely stored in the boot, as unsecured objects can become dangerous projectiles in the event of a crash.

Parents are encouraged to plan regular stops every two hours or every 200km to allow children to stretch, use bathroom facilities and refresh.

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While driver fatigue remains a major risk during long-distance travel, the RTMC noted that restless children can also contribute to driver distraction.

Parents and caregivers are urged to teach children basic travel safety rules, activate child safety locks and ensure children keep their hands, heads and other body parts inside the vehicle at all times.

The RTMC reiterated that children should never be left unattended in a vehicle, even for a short period, due to the risks of heat exposure, distress and abduction.