Rules for transporting children according to traffic rules in a car in 2021

The car is considered a source of increased danger. Therefore, the transportation of passengers must be approached carefully. The most stringent requirements apply in 2021 if there are children in the car. Standard safety equipment is not designed to protect persons under 12 years of age. Therefore, to transport children, it is necessary to equip the car with additional devices that will save human life in the event of an accident. The car owner must comply with a number of additional rules and regulations. So, in 2021 it is prohibited to leave a child alone in a car.

New rules for transporting children in a private car in 2021

The process of transporting children is regulated by the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations. Regulatory legal acts are subject to changes from time to time. The latest amendments were approved by Russian Government Resolution No. 761. Now a child under 7 years of age cannot be left in a car without the supervision of an adult citizen. Violation of the rule is fraught with fines.

Attention! If you have any questions, you can chat for free with a lawyer at the bottom of the screen or call Moscow; Saint Petersburg; Free call for all of Russia.

The vehicle must have child restraint systems or structures with age- and weight-appropriate seat belts. In 2021, a minor can be transported both in a passenger vehicle and in the cabin of a truck. If a person is under 12 years of age, he or she must not ride on the back seat of a motorcycle.

Children under 12 years of age can be carried in the front seat of the car. However, a specialized seat or infant carrier must be installed there. The use of a triangular adapter or booster in this case is unacceptable.

Rules for transporting children under 7 years of age

In paragraph 22.9 of the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations, children under one year old and minors over this age, but under 7 years old, are classified in the same category. Therefore, in fact, the rules for transporting children in a car remain the same as for children under one year old. However, the restraint itself must be appropriate for the age and weight of the minor. Therefore, the car seat is changed.

Transportation of children is permitted both in a passenger car and in the cabin of a truck. The rule is relevant if the vehicle design includes seat belts or the ISOFIX system.

Punishment for not having a car seat: legal controversies

Despite the apparent rationality of this issue, there are a number of issues that are not taken into account by law and are subject to constant criticism.

And among these nuances the following can be distinguished:

• It is not clear how disabled children can be transported in a car seat;
• Why can a driver who has already been punished once in 1 day and is forced to drive further be stopped by any inspector and issued a fine a second time? This is completely out of the realm of fantasy. How can a person buy a car seat in a few hours, especially if he is traveling on the highway;
• What should drivers who own old vehicles that do not have seat belts to secure a car seat do?

The questions have remained open for many years and so far no one has been able to solve them.

Rules for transporting children from 7 to 12 years old in a car

The standards in accordance with which children under 12 years of age are transported are reflected in clause 22.9 of the Russian Traffic Regulations.

Transportation of children aged 7, 8, 9, 10 to 11 years (inclusive) in a passenger car in the back seat must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) appropriate for the weight and height of the child, or using seat belts. That is, it is enough to fasten the child with a factory seat belt, without additional devices.

It is not prohibited to place a child aged 7 to 12 years in the front seat of a car in 2021. However, the vehicle must be equipped with seat belts or an ISOFIX system. A minor teenager of the given age in the front seat of a car must be in a child seat or other restraint device.

At the age of 12, a person becomes an adult. The need to use a child car seat disappears.

How does a traffic police inspector work?

All of the above, with its complexity and ambiguity, was required for one thing - to show the relativity of existing norms. If detailed determination of parameters requires the development of hundreds of pages of regulatory documentation, then a logical question arises: how will the traffic police inspector check all this on the road?

Let us further remember that a fine is imposed only for traffic violations (there are no penalties for the driver’s failure to comply with Technical Regulations or UN Regulations 44-04 in the situation under consideration), and clause 22.9 states that the restraint device:

1. must be, unless otherwise assumed;
2. must correspond to height and weight;
3. Use of the device must comply with the operating instructions.

It is these parameters that will be checked by the inspector on the road, and it remains to find out an approximate scheme for such a check.

How can I confirm that a device is a child restraint?

The easiest option is to present technical documentation for the child seat. But, you must admit, it may be missing, lost, worn out, etc. In this case, let’s go back to 44-04 and remember that the devices we are considering are a set of various tools for holding and keeping a child safe while moving or in an emergency situation.

How will a traffic police officer determine whether a certain “collection” is a chair if there are no documents? Purely visual. Here we have to return to our “relativity”. A chair that, upon inspection, gives the appearance of being manufactured industrially, will most likely be recognized as an element required by traffic regulations. And, conversely, a pile of clearly non-standard elements that, in the driver’s opinion, should imitate a chair (for example, home pillows to which a child is “screwed” with a scarf) will most likely not be .

Does a traffic police officer have the right to ask for a certificate for a child seat?

Let us repeat, having a certificate with you is convenient and will help eliminate unnecessary questions about the child seat. However, there is no legal requirement to carry this document with you. The list of necessary items is established in clause 2.1.1 of the Russian Traffic Regulations, and there is not a word about the certificate. Accordingly, there are no legal grounds to require this document from the driver.

How then can the inspector verify that the use of the chair complies with the instruction manual? It should be recognized that in the conditions of a roadside inspection, it is extremely difficult to find out this, and in most cases, if there is no reason to suspect the use of uncertified equipment during a visual inspection, verification of the chair’s compliance with the parameters of the instructions will not be carried out.

How is the seat checked on the road?

Let's summarize the preliminary results - consider common cases and how the check will be carried out. Obviously, this is not an instruction for detailed reproduction, but in most cases, the situation looks like this:

1. Visual inspection for the presence of a child in the car.
2. Exception of cases when a car seat is not needed: a child over 12 years old or from 7 to 11 (inclusive) in the back seat, fastened with a seat belt.
3. If the need for a chair is identified, its availability is checked.
4. It is subjectively assessed whether the chair is suitable according to the parameters of age, weight, height.
5. The correctness of its installation and the correct use of security systems are checked.

8(800)350-23-68

Dmitry Konstantinovich

Expert of the site "Legal Consultant"

Ask a Question

I would not like for the reader to have the idea that we are teaching how to circumvent the law or deceive a law enforcement officer against the backdrop of the relativity of most of the norms and technologies under consideration. First of all, it is necessary to ensure the safety of children, and everything else is secondary. But if, nevertheless, communication with the inspector leads to misunderstanding, it is worth engaging a professional lawyer in automobile cases to protect your rights. You can call the phone number listed on our website to receive prompt and the most accessible information from our specialists.

Rules for installing a child seat in a car

To protect your child, it is important to install the car seat correctly. The standards in accordance with which the restraint device is placed are not regulated by law. Clause 22.9 of the Russian Traffic Regulations only mentions that the seat must correspond to the age, height and weight of the child.

Transporting minors in restraints in the front seat is not prohibited in 2021. However, the airbag must be disabled. If it is activated, it can cause significant harm to the child. When a passenger over 12 years of age is carried in the front seat, the airbag must be turned on.

The most preferred place to install a child car seat is the center rear seat. Statistics show that this is the safest position in an accident.

Experts advise involving a minor in choosing a car seat. He should feel comfortable in the restraint. Buying a car seat for growth is considered inappropriate. Such a device is not capable of providing the necessary protective effect.

The height and weight of the child must be taken into account. The methods of securing the car seat are also taken into account. Clause 22.9 of the Russian Traffic Regulations only mentions that the seat must correspond to the age, height and weight of the child. However, there is a classification of child car seat markings. To make the right choice, the category mark from the table should be looked for on the car seat when purchasing.

Fine for various categories of violators

The amount of the fine for incorrectly transporting children differs for different categories of drivers. Not only parents, but also complete strangers can be punished.

So the amount of the fine for transporting a child without a seat is:

1. For an ordinary citizen – 3,000 rubles;
2. For legal entities persons – 10,000 rubles. These are the heads of enterprises and organizations whose employees violated the requirements for transporting children.
3. For an official – 25,000 rubles. These include educators, teachers and other persons whose professional activities include transporting children.

The amount of the fine is the same in all regions of the Russian Federation.

If, when a child is traveling in a vehicle that is not equipped with a child seat, he is injured in an accident, in addition to administrative punishment for violators engaged in commercial transportation, the norms of criminal law will also be applied in accordance with Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. They include a fine of 100,000 to 500,000 rubles or imprisonment for up to 6 years.

Citizens planning a taxi trip with children should remember this. When ordering a taxi, you need to warn that one of the passengers will be a child. Over the phone, you are asked to indicate his approximate height and weight. Then the dispatcher will be able to send a car equipped with the necessary seat. If there was no prior notification and the arriving car does not have a special seat, the taxi driver has the right to refuse to carry the child.

Rules for transporting children by car in a booster seat

Booster is a semi-chair with a hard, stable seat and armrests. The device has no back. Clause 22.9 of the Russian Traffic Regulations states that a car seat must be selected for a child, taking into account his age. A similar rule applies to boosters.

The use of a booster is permissible if the child’s weight exceeds 15 kg and height is 120 cm. Before placing a minor in a booster, you need to make sure that it is safe. The belt must not pass near the neck. This can cause fatal injuries in the event of an accident. A triangular adapter is used with the booster.

Modern systems allow you to securely fix the restraint device in the car. The design is created to ensure maximum safety. Most cars have additional brackets in the back seat that can be used to install a booster without any problems.

The Russian Federation Traffic Regulations do not specify specifications regarding child car seats. Only general rules and recommendations are given here. In accordance with the technical regulations of the Customs Union, child restraint devices must comply with the latest version of the European standard ECE 44. The regulatory legal act contains requirements for the quality and safety of materials, the reliability of fasteners and locks, and the informativeness of instructions. Typically, information about ECE 44 compliance is provided on the product label.

Traffic police officers do not check the standards of child seats. Inspectors only verify the presence of restraint devices. Therefore, responsibility for the choice of accommodation and the safety of the minor falls on the parents.

What awaits drivers for violating the new requirements?

If you violate the requirements for transporting minors, you may be fined:

Car seats are not a whim of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but forced safety measures that parents must follow. As RIA Novosti indicates, in the first quarter of 2021 alone, 123 minor passengers died. Drivers are responsible for transporting the child. Install car seats and be careful on the road to protect yourself and your little passengers.

Rules for choosing a child seat

In 2021, a child car seat must meet the requirements of the European standard ECE 44. When making a choice, it is important to be guided by the following criteria:

1. Car seat category. It must be appropriate for the age and weight of the child. In 2021, there are universal transformable chairs. They have special removable parts that allow you to adjust the shape and size of the restraint device in accordance with the individual parameters of the child. Such chairs are more practical. However, it is not a fact that over time a minor will be comfortable sitting in such a car seat.
2. Place of purchase. You can save money and take the holding device by hand. However, this is fraught with a number of problems. It is unknown how long the device was in use or whether it was involved in any accidents. Such a car seat is not capable of ensuring maximum safety for a child during transportation. An alternative is to buy at a specialized children's store. You can choose the model you like via the Internet. If parents do not have the required amount, or the transportation of a minor is carried out one-time, it is permissible to rent a device. Such services are offered by companies that rent children's clothes and accessories.
3. Quality certificates and documents. It is worth giving preference to products from well-known manufacturers. The advantage is the presence of a certificate confirming compliance with European standards, as well as a warranty card and instructions for correct installation. The chair itself must have a holographic sticker and a link to the standard number with which it was designed. Typically ECE R 44/04 and ECE R 44/04 are used.
4. Information on crash test results. This is the name given to artificial simulation of an accident using a dummy. The manipulation allows us to understand whether the device can protect a minor during a real accident.
5. Appearance. It is important to pay attention to the design of the car seat. Then the upholstery material and fastening system are taken into account. It is recommended to let your child sit in the car seat. This will make it possible to understand in advance whether he is comfortable and whether the device securely fixes the minor.

Prohibition on leaving a child in a car

The adjustments made in 2021 affected clause 12.8 of the Russian Traffic Regulations. It states that the driver is obliged to take measures to prevent the vehicle from starting to move spontaneously or from being used by a third party in the absence of the driver. So, if you are parking, you should absolutely not leave your child alone in the car. The rule applies to children under 7 years of age. Young passengers must remain in the company of an adult.

The exception is situations when it is not parking, but stopping. The difference between the concepts lies in the time for which the car stops moving. Both concepts are given in clause 1 of the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations. In 2021, stopping is defined as deliberately stopping the movement of a vehicle for up to 5 minutes. The period may be increased if passengers are boarding and disembarking, as well as loading or unloading a vehicle. If the above requirements are met, leaving a minor alone in a vehicle is not considered a violation. However, the parent will have to prove that he went away for a short period of time if, during his absence, a car with a child inside is noticed by a representative of the State Traffic Inspectorate.

Fine for leaving a child in a car in 2021

If a parent neglects the rules and leaves the child alone in the car, the violator will face a monetary penalty. Its size is reflected in Article 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. It says here that violating the rules of stopping or parking vehicles entails a fine of 500 rubles. The rule is relevant if the situation arose in the regions. When it comes to Moscow or St. Petersburg, the amount of the penalty increases. Its value is fixed by part 5 of article 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. For violation you will have to pay 2,500 rubles.

Procedure for issuing fines

When transporting a child, drivers are not required to carry documents confirming how old the child is. Therefore, when stopping the car for inspection, the traffic police officer will determine the age visually. If he does not allow driving in a car without a restraint, the driver will be punished.

The fine is formalized by a protocol on the commission of an administrative violation. The driver may agree or object to the actions of the police officer. It should be ensured that the document indicates the expected age of the child. If a restraint device was used but the inspector found it to be unsuitable, the brand of the device should be specified. If you disagree with the punishment, you need to write it down in the appropriate section of the protocol. In the future, it will be possible to challenge the fine in court.

Nuances

If it is planned to transport more than 8 children at the same time in a vehicle, we are talking about organized transportation. The rules for transporting a group of minors are more stringent. The process is regulated by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1177 of December 17, 2013.

For transportation, it is permissible to use only a bus that meets the established requirements. If the movement is carried out in the dark, children can travel no more than 100 km at a speed of 50 km/h. If there are minors under 7 years of age on the bus, continuous movement for more than 4 hours is not allowed.