Survey: 98% eschew safety seats amid low awareness

Booth at an auto products show in Beijing. Because quality is a concern, consumers feel more comfortable with child seats offered as an accessory by automakers, said analysts. Provided to China Daily

A survey by the China Automotive Technology & Research Center last year found that nearly 98 percent of parents in China do not use child safety seats in their cars.

And an industry insider said only 30 of the nation's producers make seats that are safe anyway.

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Driving parents might have low awareness, but government agencies are increasingly concerned about young child safety amid the rise of China's auto culture.

The State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Certification and Accreditation Administration recently announced that safety seats sold in China will be required to undergo quality certification by September 2015.

The seats must then have a CCC mark - short for China Compulsory Certificate - a mandatory quality certificate for products sold and used in the country.

The certification administration said it will begin to accept applications from manufacturers for the CCC mark starting in September.

According to a survey by the China Automotive Technology & Research Center last year, 65 percent of respondents said they prefer to hold their children on their laps while sitting in the front of the car and nearly 33 percent said they leave their children in the back without safety seats.

The report found that doubt about the quality and effectiveness of products, poor awareness among parents and a lack of regulation were major reasons cited for not using child safety seats.

The seats can be purchased in malls, supermarkets, baby stores, car accessory shops or online at prices ranging from less than 100 yuan to 5,000 yuan, according to the report.

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