According to experts, Malaysia’s safety culture remains weak because many parents do not view CRS as a necessity but merely an option.
Kulanthayan KC Mani, a professor at the Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Universiti Putra Malaysia, said this stems from a long-held perception that if a practice has “never caused harm”, it is assumed to be safe.
“Someone may have spent years transporting their child without a car seat and nothing happened. This creates the illusion of control, the tendency to believe one can avoid risk simply because they have been safe in the past,” he explained.
Kulanthayan, a member of the Malaysian Road Safety Council, added that many Malaysians tend to comply only when enforcement is strict, but revert to old habits once monitoring decreases – a sign that society still relies on external enforcement rather than internal conviction.
A strong safety culture, he stressed, must be built on belief and moral responsibility, shifting from “complying because of the law” to “complying because of trust in the safety and protection” offered by CRS.
“Just as we wear a helmet even when no police are watching, parents must make the use of CRS part of their daily routine,” he said.
“In a crash, the car stops instantly, but the human body continues moving at its original speed. Without CRS or a seat belt, a child will be thrown forward or sideways, hitting hard surfaces like the dashboard or other passengers.
“The human body can only withstand impact at around 30km/h; beyond that, collision force can cause serious injuries. Children have an even lower tolerance, which is why a car seat is essential: it distributes and absorbs crash forces.”
Agreeing that cost remains a major reason many people do not comply with CRS requirements, Kulanthayan suggested that the government reinstate subsidies or explore other mechanisms to reduce CRS prices.
Indirectly, he said, this would also discourage consumers from purchasing counterfeit or non-certified products.
He further emphasised the importance of parents and other stakeholders understanding the technical aspects of CRS use to avoid errors during installation.
“If a car seat is installed incorrectly, even an expensive one will fail during a crash. Retailers must be trained so they can explain how to install a CRS in a language parents can easily understand,” he said.
Start them young
Meanwhile, psychologist Dr Alizi Alias said the habit of sitting in a car seat must begin from infancy, not when the child is older.
“When a child is placed in a safety seat from day one, it becomes a routine that builds a sense of security. This approach is not coercion but part of secure attachment, where the child learns that safety is a form of parental love,” he told Bernama.
He said when children consistently observe their parents fastening seat belts and placing them in a child seat, they see these actions as normal behaviour. “This creates a mental script that safety is an expression of love, not a burden.”
He also said campaigns encouraging the public to use child safety seats should not only show accidents; rather, they should highlight how to prevent them, thereby turning tragedy into strength.
“For example, a message like ‘you can prevent this by using a car seat’ can inspire rather than cause fear,” he said.
The psychologist added that love must be reflected in consistent action, noting that many parents experience cognitive dissonance – they know car seats are important, yet they often give in to their child’s refusal to use one.
“True love is not only about comforting their child, it is also about protecting them. Understanding and awareness must come not just from knowledge but from the heart’s fear of losing their child.
“In the end, these principles come back to spiritual values and moral responsibility,” Alizi said. “In Islam, protecting life is among the highest objectives of shariah. So use a car seat, not out of fear of fines but out of hope to see your child grow up safely under loving and mindful protection.”