The Automobile Association on Tuesday urged government to introduce tougher laws to stop motorists from driving with unrestrained children in the car.

On Monday, a 10-month-old baby was critically injured after she slammed into the dashboard when her mother's car crashed head-on with a truck in Ruimsig on the West Rand.

Current car safety legislation does not recognise children under the age of three and the AA said this loophole meant there were no legal consequences for motorists caught with unrestrained children in the car.

The association's Gary Ronald said active lobbying was already taking place to get government to change the laws.

"We certainly believe that we can cut down the rate of injury and mortality for children under the age of five dramatically simply by introducing a change to the regulation," said Ronald.