Using Child Seats

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Your child must legally use the child seat for almost every single journey, no matter how short.

• Take time to get the child comfortably strapped in.
• Make sure the seat's harness (if it has one) is correctly adjusted for your child. It should be quite tight, so that only one or two fingers can fit between the child's chest and harness.
• Clothing can affect how snugly the harness fits, so check it every journey.
• The harness buckle should not rest over the child's tummy.

If you are using a booster seat or cushion, the adult seatbelt restrains both the child and the seat or cushion. Make sure that:

• The belt is worn as tight as possible
• The lap belt goes over the pelvic region (from hip-bone to hip-bone), not The stomach
• The diagonal strap rests on the child's shoulder, not the neck (some seats have a clip to help position the belt).
• Never tuck the seatbelt under the child's arm or behind their back.

Some children go through a phase of slipping out of the harness or releasing the buckle. But do not modify the buckle to prevent this, you might affect the quick release mechanism. Advice on preventing children releasing the buckle.

ALWAYS SET A GOOD EXAMPLE BY WEARING YOUR SEAT BELT

Choosing Child Seats

Fitting Child Seats

Common Problems

Last updated: January 12, 2012

For Further Reading,

Choosing and Using Child Car Seats