In Metro Manila alone, two kids die every day due to road-related accidents. This, according to the recent data of the Department of Health (DoH), is currently the leading cause of death among children, beating out other deadly diseases such as dengue.
In February of this year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11229 or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act. The new law aims to safeguard children and infants riding in vehicles from serious injury or death in case of an accident. The law states that children below 12 years of age should be secured in a child seat when on the road.
Studies have shown that if car seats are used properly, it can reduce the risks of fatal injury to infants by 71%, that to toddlers by 54% and by 45% for children aged 4-8 years old using a booster seat.
To ensure safe and comfortable commute, Combi—the leading Japanese baby brand—recently partnered with leading everyday super app, Grab, for their new special transport service called GrabFamily.
GrabFamily and Combi partnership
GrabFamily is the perfect partner for parents traveling with their kids around Metro Manila. Each GrabFamily vehicle is equipped with a child restraint seat suited for a child aged from 1 year to 12 years old, working weight of 15 kilograms to 36 kilograms, and with a height of 4’9” below.
Combi supplied the car seats, as well as Child Passenger Safety Certification Training and Education for all GrabFamily drivers, facilitated by trainers from Japan and Hong Kong. This in-depth training is to prepare them in handling not just the car seats, but also, and more importantly, in dealing with child safety on the road.
“With the car seat law, Combi, being an extra pair of helping hands for parents, we want to pioneer education and help everyone understand the importance of child safety. This is a serious concern especially for parents travelling with their kids in the Philippines,” said Tom Chang, Department Head of Sales and Marketing, Combi Hong Kong.
Combi car seat
All GrabFamily cars are to be equipped with Combi’s Joykids Mover car seat that features a unique technology from Japan, the ultra-shock absorbent EggShock pads that are placed in the headrest of the car seat. It offers protection for kid’s delicate head as it absorbs the shock from the humps and uneven pavements on the road.
This car seat also has an adjustable headrest that fits the child’s growth, an adjustable shoulder belt guide to ensure seat belt is correctly positioned, and air thru seat with breathable and washable fabric, among others.
“Now, together with Grab, we hope to offer the safest family road trip option with Combi child seat. Tom Chang added.
“We at Grab always strive to outserve our customers by bringing new services that support their daily needs. GrabFamily is our response to the demand for child safety in transportation. We are glad to have Combi as our reliable partner in making this service happen,” Grab President Brian Cu said.
With the campaign officially starting last July 19 in Metro Manila, the GrabFamily and Combi partnership aims to improve child and family safety on the road.
Also read: 11 things you need to know about the new mandatory car seat for kids law