Child Safety Rules in Vehicles
Children under 4 years must be in approved child restraints. Older children need seatbelts.
Children under 4 years / under 18 kg must be in an approved child restraint. Older children must wear seatbelts. Children must not travel on front seat of vehicle.
Penalty Under Law
₹1,000 per violation (Sec. 194B read with CMVR Rule 138A).
Legal Source
MV Act Sec. 129A (added 2019); CMVR Rule 138A; AIS:073 standard
What the Law Says
CMVR Rule 138A (effective 2023): Every driver carrying a child below the age of 4 years must ensure the child is secured in an approved child restraint complying with AIS:073. Children aged 4–12 years must be in a booster seat or using the vehicle's seatbelt with a booster if the seatbelt does not fit. MoRTH has also issued guidelines discouraging children from being seated in the front seat. For two-wheelers, children under the height to reach foot pegs should not be carried as pillion.
💡 Why This Rule Exists
Children's bodies are proportioned differently from adults — standard adult seatbelts are designed for adult torsos and can cause severe injury to a child in a crash if worn without a child restraint. Children in the front seat face airbag injury risk (airbags deploy with force designed for adults). Child restraint laws are internationally proven to reduce child crash fatalities by 50–80%.
Key Facts
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Under 4 years or under 18 kg: forward or rear-facing child seat mandatory.
- 2
4–12 years: booster seat or properly fitting seatbelt.
- 3
Do not seat children in the front passenger seat (airbag risk).
- 4
Child seats must conform to AIS:073 standard — not all imported seats automatically comply.
- 5
Never place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
- 6
School buses have separate child transport regulations under CMVR Rule 133A.
⚠️ Common Violations
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Children held on adult's lap in front seat.
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Young children in rear seat with seatbelt worn across the neck.
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Infants and toddlers in two-wheeler sidecars without restraints.
Frequently Asked Questions
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More Safety Equipment Rules
Seatbelt Requirements — All Occupants
All vehicle occupants — driver, front, and rear passengers — must wear seatbelts. Fine: ₹1,000 per person not wearing one. Rear seatbelts became mandatory in 2019.
₹1,000 per unbuckled occupant (Sec
Helmet Rules for Two-Wheeler Riders and Passengers
Both the rider and pillion on any two-wheeler must wear an ISI-marked (BIS IS:4151) helmet with the strap fastened. Fine: ₹1,000 + 3-month licence suspension.
₹1,000 + 3-month licence suspension (Sec
Mandatory First Aid Kit in Vehicles
CMVR Rule 116 requires all motor vehicles to carry a first aid kit. For transport vehicles, the contents are specified: adhesive bandages, sterile gauze, antiseptic, scissors, triangular bandage, and a first aid manual. Private vehicles should carry a basic kit.
₹500 (Sec
Fire Extinguisher Requirement for Vehicles
All buses carrying passengers, tankers carrying inflammable goods, and transport vehicles with more than 7 passengers must carry at least one 2 kg dry chemical powder fire extinguisher. Private vehicles are recommended but not mandated (yet).
₹500 (Sec