Can a five-seater car with six people including a child be driven on the road?
2 Answers
A child also counts as one person. A five-seater car can only accommodate five people, and driving with six people is not allowed, otherwise fines and demerit points will be imposed. For a private car approved for five people, having an extra child constitutes overloading, resulting in a 6-point penalty. Traffic regulations clearly state that the passenger capacity of a private car is determined by the number of people specified on the vehicle registration certificate. The traffic regulations regarding overloading do not specify the height, weight, or age of passengers but only the "number." Therefore, in a car approved for five people, having an extra child (even an infant held by parents) is considered overloading.
As a parent who often takes kids along, I must say it's really unsafe and illegal to squeeze six people into a five-seater car. Last family trip we overcrowded, and during braking the kids almost got thrown forward – I was even worried the airbags might hurt someone. Legally, five-seaters are designed for five occupants only, including infants or children. Getting caught by traffic police means a 200-yuan fine and 3 penalty points. Insurance issues are worse – in case of accidents, claims won't cover overloaded passengers. Holding children isn't reliable either, with insufficient seatbelts. I've since changed habits – when we have extra kids, we either take separate cars or call taxis. Safety first, never risk convenience over safety.
