Why mandate car seats but allow children to ride unprotected on motorbikes?

Currently, there is significant public discussion, even strong opposition, to the mandatory use of child safety seats in cars. Yet, we seemingly accept the practice of children riding on motorbikes, a mode of transport that presents a far greater danger, capable of causing serious injury or even death.

In a car, even without a child seat, there are safety features such as a metal frame, airbags, and seatbelts that provide protection during a collision. A child wearing a seatbelt in a car is significantly safer than riding on a motorbike, which offers no protection at all. A sudden stop at just 30 km/h can easily cause a child to be thrown off a motorbike, while in a car, the same situation is far less likely to result in serious injury. Yet, rather than focusing on stricter regulations for motorbikes, society shifts the responsibility to child car seats, as if cars are the primary source of danger.

A child sits inbetween two people on a motorbikes. Photo from Pexels

The risk increases further with motorbikes because riders must balance the vehicle with their bodies. When driving children, especially young ones who cannot maintain their own balance, the danger escalates. Many tragic accidents have occurred when children's clothes, backpacks, or even their hands or feet become entangled in the wheels.

Motorbike travel for children has become normalized in Vietnam. As a result, people tend to accept it as safe simply because it is familiar. If we truly care about child safety, why are we not focused on banning children from riding motorbikes before debating whether child safety seats should be required in cars? A child without protection on a motorbike faces a much greater risk of death than one sitting unrestrained in a car. Yet, because it is so commonplace, this dangerous practice is often overlooked.

Prioritizing child safety should begin with addressing the most dangerous situations. If we truly want to protect children’s lives, we must confront the reality: motorbikes are the most hazardous mode of transport, and children on motorbikes are the group that needs the most urgent protection.

While I fully support the introduction of dedicated child seats in cars and the gradual improvement of road safety, as seen in many developed countries, the focus must first be on the highest risks. Protecting children must start with addressing the most dangerous situations, not the safest ones.

*Readers' opinions are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress' viewpoints.