Police announce that new provisions are being introduced regarding child seats. These new provisions introduce the possibility, but also the obligation to use child seats in buses and taxis, under certain conditions.
M1 (vehicles for the carriage of persons comprising a maximum of eight seats in addition to the driver's seat)
N1 (vehicles for the transport of goods with a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes)
N2 (vehicles for the carriage of goods with a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 but not exceeding 12 tonnes) and
N3 (vehicles for the transport of goods with a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes).
In the vehicles in question, which are equipped with seat belts in all seats, it is possible to transport a child at least 135cm tall in any seat, except the front one, with the obligation to be held in a seat belt.
These vehicles, which are fitted with seat belts only in the front seats, can carry a child at least 150 cm high in any seat. However, when sitting in a front seat, the child should be restrained in a seat belt.
In the same vehicles, which are equipped with seat belts only in the front seats, a child can be transported, less than 150 cm high, but only in the front seat and should be held in place by a child restraint system (child or lift seat). If the child is 150cm tall and above can be transported sitting in any seat. If he is sitting in the front seat he should use the seat belt.
For vehicles of categories N2 and N3 (ie boring trucks), which are not equipped with safety systems, a child can be transported only if it is at least 150 cm high.
A child under 150 cm in height can be transported in any rural or urban taxi seat, if the transport is leased, provided that a child restraint system (child or lifting seat) is used, provided that the child is not placed in front to the rear, in a passenger seat protected by a frontal airbag, unless this airbag has been deactivated.
At the same time, a child under 150cm tall can be transported in a rural or urban taxi, if the transport is done on rent, but in case a restraint system is not available or is not provided (child or lifting seat), the transport can only be done in the pool seats , using a seat belt.
With regard to intercity taxis, the installation and use of child or lifting seats, as the case may be, is already mandatory, as in other saloon vehicles.
In addition to the provisions for urban and rural taxis, provisions have been introduced concerning buses, which the legislation defines as vehicles:
(i) Category M2 (Vehicles for the carriage of persons, with more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat and a mass not exceeding 5 tonnes); and
(ii) Category M3 (Vehicles for the carriage of persons, with more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat and weighing more than 5 tonnes).
There is now an explicit prohibition, according to which it is not allowed to carry a child in the front seat of a bus, but also a reservation that in case the bus is equipped with seat belts and a child or lifting seat is presented, which can be adjusted according to the specifications of the bus , then the transport of a child, with a height of less than 135cm, is done using the child or lifting seat (depending on the case).
This reservation implies that the parents / guardians / caregivers of the children now have the legal right to provide and use for children the appropriate child or lift seats on buses, if the specifications of the bus allow it.
With the exception of the other provisions of the new legislation, Articles 15C and 15D enter into force two months later, ie from September 25, 2018.
Article 15C introduced special regulations for the transportation of children on school trips and other organized activities. In the case of transporting children by bus, for school trips or other organized school activities or for transporting children for various activities organized by a legal or natural person (company or individual) or institution, the following applies:
(i) Buses must be equipped with seat belts. Buses that are exempt from the obligation to install seat belts, ie buses that were registered in the Republic, before 28/12/2007, cannot be used, unless they are equipped with seat belts.
(ii) It is not permitted to carry a child in the front seat.
(iii) Children 6 years of age and older should be restrained by existing restraint systems (ie standard adult safety belts), unless provided with a guardian or child caregiver with a child restraint or lift. adapts to the existing restraint system of the bus.
(iv) Children under the age of 6 shall be restrained by child restraints or child restraints, provided by the guardian or guardian of the child and adapted to existing restraint systems in the vehicle. When no child or lifting seat is provided by the guardian or the person in charge of the child, the child may not be transported by bus.
(v) The company or individual or institution on whose behalf the children are being transported shall appoint an adult attendant who is on the bus for the duration of its use and while there are children on board. It is responsible for enforcing the provisions for the use of seat belts or a lifting or child seat, as the case may be.
Article 15d introduced special arrangements for the transport of children by buses, for which a private road bus license was issued to a company, and activities related to children (such as kindergartens, nurseries, schools, associations, clubs and other relevant bodies), which are set out below:
(i) Buses must be equipped with seat belts. Buses that are exempt from the obligation to install seat belts, ie buses that were registered in the Republic, before 28/12/2007, cannot be used, unless they are equipped with seat belts.
(ii) It is not permitted to carry a child in the front seat.
(iii) Children at least 135 cm in height are restrained with seat belts, unless provided by the guardian or the person in charge of the child, a child or lifting seat, which can be placed on the bus, in which case they must be restrained with child or lifting seat.
(iv) Children, less than 135 cm high, are restrained by appropriate child or lifting seats and the holder of the vehicle's road use license is responsible for the presence of these seats in the vehicle. The driver is responsible for the use of the seats by the children, unless an escort is appointed, as mentioned below, in which case the escort is responsible.
(v) The holder of the road license of the bus may appoint an adult attendant, who is in the vehicle during the time it is in use and there are children in it and is responsible in relation to the use of restraint systems.
(vi) In the case of children under the age of 6, the holder of the road license of the bus must appoint an adult attendant, who is on the bus for as long as it is in use and there are children on it and is responsible for the use of seat belts or child or lift seats, as appropriate.
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