Protyre News
Car seat safety
By Adam White
With the arrival of the new Royal baby, there has never been a better time to consider the importance of your child’s car seat whether they’re a new born on their first car journey home or a fast-growing toddler.
Suitable for their age/size
Children must normally use a child car seat until they’re 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall (whichever comes first).
Child car seats must be approved to European standards Regulation R44/04 or ECE R129.
Group 0+ – rear-facing car seats suitable for babies aged up to about 15 months or who weigh up to 13 kg (29lb); some can be clipped on to a pushchair frame and are known as travel systems
Group 1 – forward-facing seats suitable for children who weigh 9-18kg (20-40lb) or who are aged from about 9 months to 4.5 years
Group 2/3 – high-backed booster seats suitable for children who weigh 15-36kg (33lb-5st 9lb) or are aged from about 3 to 12 years
Fit the car seat properly
You mustn’t use a rear-facing child seat on a passenger seat where an active passenger airbag is fitted. The child's head will be too close to the airbag, risking severe injury or death if the bag is triggered.
If you are an expecting parent, it's a good idea to practise fitting the seat before your baby is born. Use a rear-facing car seat for as long as your baby fits into it, as these offer better protection in the event of a car accident.
Check whether your car has Isofix connectors built into it. These are designed to make fitting baby and child car seats simpler. Most modern family cars have them. They may be hidden in the cracks between the padding of your car seats. Some ISOFIX seats have a support leg at the front, rather than a top-tether strap, and these aren’t always suitable for cars with under-floor storage. The cover/floor surface may not be strong enough.
Buying second hand
Child seats can be expensive and children can grow out of them quickly. If you do decide to purchase a car seat second hand you will need to consider the following:
Don't buy anything that you suspect might have been involved in an accident
Check nothing’s missing or broken – including the instructions
Buying from family or friends is a good idea because you'll know the history of the seat
Car boot sales, free ads and other sources where you don't know the seller can't be recommended unless you can inspect the product before purchase
Top Tips
Check that the seat you’ve picked is compatible with your car. Look for an application list, ask the retailer to demonstrate or install the seat, or ask for advice from the car manufacturer
Carry children rear-facing for as long as you can rather than rushing to get them into a forward-facing seat
Consider buying a seat that uses the ISOFIX system if your vehicle has the required anchor points
Place children in the back seats of the car if you can
Adjust the harness for a tight, but comfortable fit before every journey to make sure it hasn't come loose over time
Check over the restraint from time-to-time and renew it if you find signs of cracking in the shell or fraying/cuts in webbing
Cover the seat when parked on a hot day to avoid burning your child on hot metal fittings when you get back
Avoid 2nd hand car seats, you cannot be sure of their history
Deactivate any front airbags before fitting a rear-facing baby seat in a front passenger seat
Children with disabilities or medical conditions
The same rules apply for children with disabilities/medical conditions. They can use a disabled person’s seat belt or a child restraint designed for their needs. A doctor can issue an exemption certificate if a child is unable to use a restraint or seat belt because of their condition.
