Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do, so it’s important to make sure children are as safe as possible when we take them in the car.

Do I have to strap my child in?

It is illegal  for a child under the age of three to travel in the front passenger seat without an appropriate child restraint; in the back seat, children must use an appropriate child restraint if there is one available. If there are no appropriate child restraints, children aged three and over must wear an adult seat belt where one is fitted.

Babies should be in a suitable seat or a carrycot restrained by straps. If neither is available, legally you can hold the baby, but it is not safe because in an accident the baby could be crushed between the rear passenger and the seat in front.

Children who are at least 140cm (55 inches) tall may use the car’s ordinary seat belt. Under this height, an appropriate car seat or booster seat should be used.

Children who are not secured with a seatbelt or placed in a child seat may be seriously injured in a car accident. The relatively large weight of their heads makes them particularly vulnerable if they are thrown forwards.

Don’t carry a child on your lap, or try to put an adult seat belt around both of you. In an accident, the child would be crushed by your weight.

Choosing the right seat

The safest way for young children to travel is in a child seat designed for their weight. Children of the same age can differ significantly in size. That is why child seats are approved for specific weight ranges rather than ages. Your first priority, therefore, is to check the weight of your child.

Seats are approved in different groups, as shown in the chart below. These groups are set by how seats are made and tested.

Do not go on using the same seat when your child’s weight increases above the recommended level.

Babies may also travel in a fastened carrycot with hard sides. You need to fasten the carrycot with a special belt, which is fitted in the car, or with one of the car’s three-point seat belts.

The type of car seat to buy

If your child weighs under 20lbs, she needs to be in a rear-facing car seat. Either ‘infant carrier’ or a ‘two-way’ seat - this faces the rear of the car until the baby becomes too heavy and then converts to forward facing.

An infant carrier will hold your baby more snugly during the first few months, and is also light and easy to carry around. You will need to buy another seat when your baby reaches 20lbs or 30lbs, depending on whether you buy a size 0 or a size 0+ seat.

Seats that can be used either way are heavier and designed to be left in the car. Some seats have a recline option for small babies, but if you decide on this type of seat for your newborn, try using a ‘headhugger’ to reduce your child’s movements in the seat. These seats usually fit children until they weigh 40lbs (around four years old). Your child is safest travelling in a forward-facing car seat until she weighs 55lbs (around six years old).

What should I look for when buying a car seat?

• is the right one for your child’s weight
• comes with clear instructions
• has different harness positions which are simple to adjust to fit your child
• has covers which are easy to remove and refit after washing

Can I use a second-hand seat?

Buying or using a second-hand car seat is not advised because:

• You cannot be certain it has never been involved in an accident. Although it may seem undamaged, the stresses of any collision mean it would not protect your child as well as it should in a subsequent accident
• You may not get a seat made to the latest safety standard
• you may not get a copy of the instructions - these are vital if you are to fit the seat correctly
• there may be important safety components missing
• it may be inappropriate for your child’s weight

How do I fit a car seat?

Not all seats fit all cars. Before you buy, check the seat you want is compatible with your car. If a car seat does not fit your car perfectly, or is difficult to fasten, do not buy it. In an accident, a seat that is not properly fitted could move or even slip out of the belt altogether, giving your child little protection.

If you are going to use the seat in several different cars, make sure it fits correctly in each of them. Keep the instruction leaflet so you can check how to fit the seat in a new car.

A correctly fitted car seat:

• should not move more than 2in.  side to side, or forward and back
• has buckles clear of the seat frame when your child is strapped in
• has a base in contact with the car seat at all points to give good stability.

To make sure your seat is safe, have it checked. Call your local council’s road safety department and ask for details.

Because of the problems relating to safety and fitting, car manufacturers have introduced the Isofix (universal plug-in system) seat; this doesn’t rely on adult belts but slots into a special fitting device permanently fixed to the car. These seats are quite new, but are becoming more available.

What about airbags?

Airbags were made to protect adults, not children. Never use a rear-facing child seat in a seat where an airbag is fitted (unless it is switched off), as death or serious injury can result.If your car has a passenger-side airbag in the front, place your child’s seat in the back.

How do I check that my child is sitting safely?

Before each journey:

• check that the car seat straps are straight and properly adjusted to allow for the thickness of your child’s clothes. Check that you cannot get more than two fingers between strap and child’s chest - this is tight enough for safety but also for your child to stay comfortable
• position the car seat harness buckle over the child’s hips, not the stomach, and check that the buckles are flat and not touching the car seat
• if you’re using a rear-facing seat in the front of your car, move the front seat as far back as possible. Leave a distance of at least 8in.  between the dashboard and the child seat, in order not to hurt your child in a head-on collision
• never place anything underneath a child in the child seat, as the child then won’t be protected properly by the belt
• remember, if left in the sun, a seat’s metal parts could burn your child -take care before you
  strap him in
• check child car seats regularly for wear and tear. In the event of an accident, replace the seat.

When will my child need a booster seat?

Once your child is both over 40lbs and more than four years old, you can use a booster seat. This ensures that the seatbelt is positioned safely. The diagonal belt should cross the child’s chest and shoulders. If it crosses his neck, the seat is too small. Booster seats are designed to hold children weighing up to 80lbs - around 11 years old. Your child is safest travelling in the rear seat of the car.March 2002