Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
Nearly one third of parents with children aged between zero and four years in the UAE are failing to provide proper child car seats despite it being mandatory by law, while more than 20% of existing child seats are not always used, according to a survey conducted by RoadSafetyUAE in collaboration with an international research institute.
The survey, based on a representative sample of 1,010 UAE residents and conducted in January 2026, found that only 72% of parents with children in the 0-4 age group own proper child seats, although the law requiring their use came into force on July 1, 2017.
At the same time, only 79% of parents who own child seats said they “always” use them, while 18% said they use them “most of the time” and 3% “almost never”.
The study showed that awareness levels remain high, with 95% of respondents saying children are better protected with child seats and seat belts in case of accidents.
Among parents who do not own child seats, the most common reason cited was that children do not like being strapped into them, accounting for 29% of responses.
Another 24% believed holding children was as safe as using child seats, while 23% said they considered themselves safe drivers and therefore did not see the need for child restraints.
For parents who owned child seats but did not always use them, 43% said they believed they were safe drivers and therefore did not need to buckle up their children on every trip. About 37% cited resistance from children, while 30% said seat belts were not necessary on short trips. One in four parents said they did not believe child seats protect children in case of an accident.
The survey also highlighted low usage of child seats outside family vehicles. Only 52% of respondents said their children “always” used proper child seats when travelling in taxis, limousines or a friend’s car, while 12% said they never used them in such situations.
RoadSafetyUAE noted that overall trends have improved since a similar survey conducted in February 2017 before the introduction of the seat belt law. Ownership of child seats rose to 72% from 64%, while the share of parents who “always” ensured children used child seats increased to 79% from 70%.
Thomas Edelmann, Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, said educational efforts should begin during the prenatal stage at hospitals and continue through schools and later education stages.
“The identified reasons for non-ownership and non-usage must be addressed by the stakeholders in charge. It is of key importance to educate parents about the undebatable benefits of child seats and about being in compliance with the law,” he said.
Speaking to Aletihad, Edelmann said: “There are areas where we can be relaxed and light-hearted, but road safety is not one of them. We have to guide children and sometimes be strict because we want to protect them.”
He said children should be placed in proper child seats from the very first day, even when they are brought home from the hospital. “If they grow up with these habits, they will accept them naturally,” he added.
Edelmann said parents also need to remember that when driving a car, they are responsible for everyone inside it. “Nobody should start the journey unless everyone is properly buckled up,” he said.
He added that enforcement remained equally important, saying: “The main message is a very simple one: ‘IF YOU LOVE YOUR KIDS, BUCKLE THEM UP, ON ALL TRIPS!’”
Regarding the law and its enforcement, Edelmann said the rules apply to all vehicles, including taxis and limousines, with the penalty being Dh400 and four black points.
“Most major taxi and limousine fleets already offer child seats, but parents must specifically ask for them,” he said.
The survey this year was conducted with TGM, a global research company, after RoadSafetyUAE had worked with YouGov for many years.
“The methodology, sample size and approach remain largely the same, and the findings are consistent with previous surveys,” Edelmann said.
Edelmann also stressed the need for greater public availability of data on fatalities linked to non-use of seat belts and child restraints.
“The latest figure available to us is from Abu Dhabi in 2018, which showed that 60% of road fatalities were linked to not wearing seat belts,” he said.
“Seat belts do not necessarily prevent accidents, but they significantly reduce the severity of injuries and fatalities when accidents happen,” Edelmann added.
Muralikrishnan Raman, Chief Financial Officer of Al Wathba Insurance, said the company partnered in the research project as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts.
“It is vital to instill safety habits into our children as early as possible in their lives,” he said.
