Fine for transporting children without a seat in a car in 2021

According to statistics, in 80% of cases when an accident occurs with a child fatality or serious injury, the car did not have the necessary restraints. The fine for not having a child seat was specified in the law back in 2007. Then it was only 500 rubles. A little later, a clause appeared in the traffic rules, according to which failure to comply with the rules when a child is in the car is punishable by a fine of 3,000 rubles.

Penalty for not having a child seat

The regulatory act of traffic rules, paragraph 22.9, sets out the rules that must be followed when a child is in the car, in the front or rear passenger seat.

The following standards must be observed:

• up to seven years - travel in the back and front seats and with full fixation using a cradle or car seat;
• being in a seat and secured with belts is mandatory, even for short trips;
• for children from 7 years to 12 years, and large children who do not fit in a seat can be transported without a seat only in the rear seats of the car;
• The cradle or chair is selected according to age and weight.

For violation of these rules, an administrative fine is imposed for a child without a chair - 3,000 rubles in all regions, in accordance with Article 12.23 of the Administrative Code.

For leaving a child under 7 years old in the car, the penalty amount is 2,500 rubles for residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and 500 rubles for other regions (Clause 1.Article 12.19 of the Administrative Code).

How to avoid being punished again

If you have already been fined for such a violation, this does not mean that you cannot be fined again and again. Ignoring the rules, you continue to carry your child simply in a car seat? You will be fined every time traffic police officers notice the absence of a restraint device.

The only way to avoid being punished again is to purchase a car seat. Do not try to use an adapter or booster instead - they are prohibited when transporting a child under 7 years old.

Fine for ordinary people, officials and legal entities

The fine for not having a child seat varies depending on who committed the offense:

It is possible to pay the fine with a 50% discount within 20 days from the date of delivery of the decision to the citizen.

At what age should children be transported in special seats?

Transportation of children under 12 years of age must be carried out in accordance with traffic regulations (clause 22.9)

The main provisions of this regulatory legal act:

1. Fixing belts and a seat are a prerequisite for transportation. Other devices, including homemade ones, cannot be used in 2021, this is noted in the traffic rules.
2. In the back seat, without using a seat, but with securing belts, you can seat a child from 7 years old.
3. Placing children on motorcycles is strictly prohibited.

The driver of the vehicle is also fined if:

• the minor is in the seat, but is not wearing a seat belt;
• two children were seated in one standard chair;
• the child is fastened, but is in the arms of an adult;
• the child is large and the purchased chair does not fit;
• The car is not equipped with standard securing belts.

For transporting children without a seat, a fine is imposed after drawing up a report on the offense.

If several children are traveling in a car, and all of them are without a car seat, then a standard fine is imposed - 3,000 rubles, since only one offense was recorded. You can avoid a fine when transporting children over 7 years old by using a special seat with a belt - a booster.

The inspector does not have the right to impose a penalty if the car was not moving, for example, standing in the parking lot.

Small children in the car

If you are transporting an infant in a car, you do not need a car seat, but a special car seat. It is attached to the seat with special straps. This cradle protects the baby as comfortably as possible, since the child is also secured inside with additional special belts. They can be three-point or five-point. The position of the baby in the cradle and special belts help the baby to breathe easily, and his fragile skeleton does not feel increased pressure from the protective belts.

This cradle is intended for babies up to 6 months. Then the cradle must be replaced with a special car seat. In exceptional cases, the infant carrier can initially be replaced with a car seat. But this is most likely an exception to the rule. But if parents prefer a car seat, then there is no need to worry. Everything in them is designed so that the baby’s head will be maximally protected, and in the event of an accident, an infant or older child will be maximally protected. If parents wish, they can also use special head restraints within the car seat.

Taxi fine if a child is without a seat

Taxi drivers can be brought not only to administrative, but also to criminal liability under Article 238 of the Criminal Code “... provision of services that do not meet safety requirements.” However, this measure is rarely taken. Most often, both the driver and the owner of the taxi company - a legal entity - are fined.

According to administrative legislation, a driver who violates transportation rules is obliged to pay a fine of 25,000 rubles, since he is a responsible official. The director of the company pays 100,000 rubles.

If driving without a child seat causes injury to a child in a car accident, criminal proceedings are initiated. The fine under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation can range from 100,000 to 500,000 rubles. The taxi service must have its own car seats for children of different ages. However, it is important to consider that if parents call a taxi without warning that there will be a child in the car, the driver has the right to refuse to provide the service.

Driver convenience

Are there only the driver and the child in the car?

Expert opinion

Natalia Balashova

Experience as a forensic expert in the field of automotive technical examination for more than 2 years, more than 3 years of work in the field of insurance disputes, appealing guilt in road accidents

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It is especially important that the baby is comfortable and safe, without distracting the driver. When a small passenger is not fastened and moves freely around the cabin, the parent is distracted from the road, trying to make sure that everything is fine. There is a great threat to the safety of both. When the child sits in one place, the driver can concentrate on the road, knowing that the baby is not in danger.

Why is it necessary to use a child seat?

The task of every parent is to ensure the safe passage of the child in the car. The requirement for car seats was introduced for a reason: in reality, in the event of an accident, a child secured in a seat has a greater chance of surviving.

Why use a chair:

• Safe transportation of a child. Crash tests have shown that children who are not secured in a seat hit the front seat and are thrown back, resulting in life-threatening injuries.
• Safety for the driver. Because babies and teenagers are often restless, they may suddenly interfere with someone who is driving, for example by throwing a toy at them. A child fixed in a chair has limited mobility.
• Safety while playing in the car. A restrained child can do whatever he wants without slipping or hitting himself.

With the advent of car seats, many women were able to drive a car by placing the child in the front or rear seat in a restraint system. Even in the event of an accident, the child will remain secured in the cradle or seat, and most likely will not receive dangerous injuries.

Safety

Children are the most vulnerable passengers. Due to the low weight, during an accident the impact of the body is much stronger. Children receive fatal injuries. Numerous crash tests show that when braking sharply, even at low speed, the dummy either hits the back of the front seat hard, or even flies out through the windshield, falling a few meters from the car.

Standard car protection - belts and airbags - is designed for adults, so it is not able to protect small passengers. An additional device is required to ensure complete safety.

Attention! Some parents don't see the need to pay for a car seat when the baby can be held in their arms. However, in the event of a sharp collision, it is almost impossible to hold the baby - his body weight increases by 20 kilograms!

What are the downsides to car seat laws?

Most often, difficulties with the law on child seats arise in large families. One car can comfortably accommodate two, rarely three, seats, but without them all four or even five children could fit in the back seat.

Another drawback is the imposition of fines on taxi drivers. Sometimes parents deliberately do not warn that there will be a child in the cabin, so as not to increase the cost of the trip. When an inspector stops a car, the blame falls on the taxi driver. In extreme cases, the fine for parents will be 3,000 rubles, and for the driver – 25,000.

Legal contradictions

With the introduction of penalties, difficulties arose with travel for large families. If previously three children could usually fit in the back seat without seats, then only two children can be seated in the seats. Therefore, additional costs arose not only in connection with the purchase of restraint devices, but also with the replacement of the car.

Taxi drivers also had problems. Not every client informs in advance that he will travel with a child, since he will have to pay the “children’s” fare, which is usually twice as expensive. Therefore, the driver is faced with a choice. If you carry a child without a seat, there is a risk of getting a fine. And refusal to travel means loss of revenue.

Types of chairs

Types of car seats for children on the Russian market:

Each type of seat is used only for children of a certain age. Some car seats, for example, categories 0 and 0+, are adjustable depending on the child’s height and weight, but from 1.5 years old it is necessary to purchase a larger seat.

Finding a child in a chair that is not suitable for him is equivalent to the absence of a device.

Child's comfort

Modern car seats are designed for maximum comfort for the little passenger. Simply sitting or sleeping in a special soft device is much more comfortable than just sitting on a car seat.

The chairs allow you to comfortably accommodate newborn babies, and the mother does not need to hold him in her arms during the trip. Many seats can be disassembled, so you don’t have to wake up your sleeping baby at the end of the trip. Parents take him out of the chair along with the cradle and take him with them.