Child car seat advice

Things to remember when choosing your child’s car seat.

• Children must use the correct car seat for their height or weight until they  reach 135cm tall or their 12th birthday.

• It is advised to use a rear facing car seat for as long as possible.

• It is safer to transport children in the rear of the car in the  relevant car seat until they can use an adult seat belt  without a car seat (approx. 12 years or 135cm tall). If you have to use the front seat then the airbag  MUST be deactivated if using a rear facing seat.

• Brake (the road safety charity) and other  experts strongly advise parents to go one  step beyond this and ensure all children  under 150cm tall are always in a proper  child restraint, because adult belts are  not sufficient in protecting children  under this height.

Know which seat to buy

Never rush a child into the next stage, keep them in their current seat until they  reach the maximum height or weight.

CHILD SEAT SAFETY

Does it fit my car?

Not all seats are compatible with all cars - always check your seat is suitable for 

each car you are using it with. 51% of all car seats are fitted incorrectly. Ensure 

that the seat has an official standard mark (ECE) R44.04 or R129.

Am I fitting it correctly?

Ask the supplier to show you how it fits prior to leaving the store. It is important to ensure that the seat is fitted correctly for every journey. 

Seats are based on weight or height and cover different stages of a child’s development.

Coats and car seats.

Winter means keeping children warm, but did you know babies and children should NOT wear puffy coats, raincoats or snow suits whilst in a car seat. 

Thick outer clothing and tops with hoods can prevent the harness being tightening sufficiently.

In the event of a collision a coat or snow suit can compress under the harness of a car seat. This will cause the straps of the car seat to not fit appropriately, which will result in the child having too much space and will move around too  much or even be ejected out of the car seat as the harness will not be tight  enough to keep them secure.

Further advice

For further advice prior to purchasing a child car seat visit:

www.goodeggcarsafety.com

www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using

www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules