Parents

Are you choosing a child car seat?

ALWAYS:

Try the baby/child seats in your car before you buy.
Use a seat that fits your car properly.
Choose a seat according to your child's weight and development - not age.
Fit the seat correctly following manufacturers instructions.

NEVER:

Carry any child unrestrained in your car.
Use a baby/child seat in front passenger seats fitted with an airbag.
Leave a child alone in any car.
Add any extra straps/fixtures unless supplied with the seat.

CHILD RESTRAINT TYPE
WEIGHT RANGE AGE RANGE (approx)
Baby Seat Up to 13kgs (29lbs) Birth to 9-12 months
Child Seat 9kgs to18kgs (20-40lbs) 9 months to 4 years
Booster Seat 15kgs to 25kgs (33-55lbs) 4 years to 6 years
Booster Cushion 22kgs to 36kgs (48lbs-79lbs) 6 years to 11 years
For more information log onto http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/

WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?

From 2006, children under 3 years MUST use the child restraint appropriate for their weight in any vehicle (including vans and other goods vehicles) - see above table. There is only one exception - A child under 3 years may travel unrestrained in the rear of a taxi if the right child restraint is not available.

Rear facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protected by a frontal air-bag unless the air-bag has been deactivated manually or automatically.

Children 3 years and older up to a height of 135cm (4' 5") MUST use the appropriate child restraint (above) where seat belts are fitted.

There are 3 exceptions to this

in a taxi, if the right child restraint is not available
for a short distance in an unexpected necessity, if the right child restraint is not available
where two occupied child seats in the rear prevent the fitment of a third child seat

In these situations the child must where the available adult seat belt.

Failure to meet the above requirements will result in a £30 fixed penalty notice or up to £500 if the case goes to court.

FITTING A CAR SEAT:

Children are still killed in car accidents because they are not properly restrained. You can best protect your children by putting them in a properly fitted child seat which is appropriate for their weight and size.

Child seat must be tight in the adult seat. Push all your weight into the child seat as you tighten the belt.
Keep fitting instructions in the car.
Any doubts, ask professional to show you how

BUYING A CAR SEAT:

Choose the right seat for your child's height and weight. The label should help you.
Try it for fit in the car - or cars you will use it in.
Look for the official approval mark (United Nations 'E' mark). The current UN standard is UN ECE 44.03. From May 2008 all child restraints sold must comply with this standard.
Beware of second hand seats. They could have been damaged and may not meet modern standards. The fitting instructions may also be missing. We do not recommend buying car seats or travel systems that incorporate car seats from places where you do not know the history eg. newspaper classifieds or ebay. A seat that has been involved in even a minor accident may have hidden weaknesses which may not protect your child in the event of a further accident.
When shopping for the seats, go to places where they have staff, who are trained in child restraints, they will be able to fit and advise you on these seats. If the seats are not suitable there should be no problem in returning them and replacing the seat. Shops such as Mothercare, Toys 'R' Us, Halfords, Mammas and Pappas and Kiddicare are all highly recommended. There are other local Independent businesses that sell and advise on child seats, these can be found in the yellow pages or online.

AIR BAG:

Never fit a rear-facing child restraint in a seat with an active airbag in front of it.
Forward facing restraints should be as far back from the air bag as possible. Check the car handbook.
Despite not breaking the law we would still recommend that you do not use a car seat in a location with a frontal air-bag even if it has been manually deactivated. The first time you will know if the de-activation has worked is in an accident.

SEATING YOUR CHILD:

Make sure the harness is correctly adjusted - only one or two fingers should fit between the child's chest and harness.
If you are using the booster seat or cushion, the adult seat belt should rest on the child's shoulder, not neck and from hip bone to hip bone.
Never tuck the seat belt under the child's arm or behind their back.

UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Inevitably there will be individual circumstances where the law is not clear and there are grey areas. For the most comprehensive guide visit www.childcarseats.org.uk There is information and advice here on carrying other peoples children, when to use child car seats on coaches, minibuses and taxis, carrying premature babies, carrying children in bicycle seats etc. This website was produced jointly by RoSPA and the Department for Transport.

WEARING A SEATBELT DURING PREGNANCY:

Don't be tempted to not wear a seatbelt during pregnancy because it can get uncomfortable. Wearing a seatbelt during pregnancy reduces the injury risk to your unborn child by up to 70%.

"Buckle up for baby and you"

Advice on how to wear your seatbelt safely through pregnancy, go to http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/

LEAFLETS AND ADVICE

If you require any further information on any of the above issues then please use the contact us link on the left as we can provide copies of the seatbelt leaflets free of charge.

Sure Start is a Government programme which aims to achieve better outcome for children, parents and communities by:

Increasing the availability of childcare for all children.
Improving health and emotional development for young children. This includes road safety education.

Sure Start will achieve their aims by:

Helping service development in disadvantaged areas alongside financial help for parents to afford childcare.

For more information log onto: http://www.surestart.gov.uk/

Children's Traffic Club:

The Children's Traffic Club helps parents teach their young children how to stay safe when they are out walking, playing or travelling by car.
It was set up to help stop children getting hurt on our roads, every day.
The club is for 3 years olds and their parents, to work together.
Most important of all, The Children's Traffic Club is fun - best way to learn!
The Club is free for Sure Start members
For more information and how to join visit: http://www.trafficclub.org/