Child safety devices may soon be required in taxis, Uber and Grab units

The Department of Transportation may soon require taxis and app-based transport systems to install child safety devices in their vehicle units.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark de Leon aired the possibility during a meeting of the House committee on transportation technical working group on Wednesday.

"We can focus on mandating taxis, Uber, Grab to have these devices," De Leon said.

"We can issue a memorandum circular, to be issued by the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) and LTO (Land Transportation Office), that these forms of public transportation will have these devices," he added.

The technical working group is discussing House Bill 1319, or the proposed "Child Restraint Act," which seeks to require the use of child restraint device or system for children riding in running motor vehicles.

Under the measure, introduced by Buhay party-list Rep. Mariano Michael Velarde Jr., child restraint systems include child safety seats, car seats, boosters or booster seats, vests or car beds and other items approved by the LTO to ensure the safety of children riding in motor vehicles.

De Leon, however, said they will not be requiring other modes of transportation yet to install these devices.

"We will come up with a study on how to make this practical to all modes of transportation," he said.

If passed, violators of the proposed measure will be slapped with a fine of P5,000 or a jail sentence of not more than 30 days, or both. The license of the driver will also be revoked upon conviction after two violations of the provisions of the proposed bill.

The law will also bar the driver from getting a new license for 12 months from the date of conviction. —KBK, GMA News