Baby riding the front seat

It is possibly not well understood in Sri Lanka that driving with your baby in the front passenger seat is not only dangerous but also a strict offense in most other countries. I'm sure most of us remember when famous Pop star Britney Spears was photographed driving with her child in the front seat of her convertible. But I have seen this happening countless times in Sri Lanka.

Whether you are driving the latest vehicle equipped with the best life-saving airbags system, you are putting your child in harms way. 

Those parents who say their children are fussy and demand riding in the front are simply giving excuses for themselves. Of course it is easier giving in to your child than the ultimate penalty---hearing them cry. Car seats for kids have been specially designed to keep your children safely while you drive. However it is still not a "THING" in Sri Lanka. 

Such laws should not only exist in Sri Lanka but also be strictly applied. It would be quite unfortunate to hear of an accident where a child was seated in front comfortably embraced by his mother while hit by the airbag which deployed at 170-200 miles per hour.

While airbags make driving a lot safer, injuries have been reported. Serious injuries are less common, but severe or fatal injuries can occur to vehicle occupants very near an airbag or in direct contact when it deploys (such as a child sitting on the mothers lap and playing with his toys on the dashboard???).

This site is not an uncommon occurrence. You see it everyday. Infact you may be doing this already. It is time to educate ourselves. Change can start with the smallest effort.

Maybe instead of hiding in bushes, trying to catch speeding drivers, law enforcement should be directed towards these more sinister issues--- issues that are clearly visible to the naked eye. Issues that can one day save a child's life.