Carrying Other People’s Children Safely
Using the Right Child Restraint
Child restraints must be:
- Suitable for the child
- Suitable for the vehicle
- In a safe condition
Choosing Child Restraints
Don't rush the decision. Look through manufacturers’ catalogues and websites or in shops to assess a range of seats. Find a retailer who will let you ‘Try Before You Buy’. Ask if they have trained staff and check that one will be available before you visit the store. Good retailers will check whether a restraint is suitable for the car or cars in which it will be used, will demonstrate how to fit it and will allow you to try to fit it yourself.
Ask your local Road Safety Unit if they have an advice, checking or fitting service.
Suitable for the Child
Child restraints are designed for specific weight ranges of children. These broadly match different age groups, but it is the weight that is most important. Many can be converted as the child grows and so fit into more than one group. Note that manufacturers may use names different to those mentioned below.
| Type | Weight | Approx Age |
|---|---|---|
| Rearward-facing baby seat | Group 0 up to 10 kgs (22 lbs)1 Group 0+ up to 13kg (29lbs) | birth to 6-9 months birth to 12-15 months |
| Combination seat | Group 0+ to 1 0-18 kgs (20-40 lbs) | birth - 4 years |
| Forward-facing child seat | Group 1 9-18 kgs (20-40 lbs) | 9 months - 4 years |
| Booster Seat2 | Group 2 15 - 25 kgs (33 - 55 lbs) | 4 to 6 years |
| Booster Seat | Group 2 and 3 15 - 36 kgs (33 - 79 lbs) | 4 to 11 years |
| Booster Seat | Group 1, 2 and 3 9 - 36 kgs (20 - 79 lbs) | 9 months to 11 years |
| Booster Cushion2 | Group 3 22 - 36 kgs (48 - 79 lbs) | 6 - 11 years |
1 Group 0 (0 – 10 kg) baby seats are no longer produced.
2 Booster seats that only fit into Group 2 or only into Group 3 are no longer produced. All now fit into either Group 2 and 3 (15 – 36 kg)
or Groups 1 to 3 (9 – 36 kg).
2 Booster seats that only fit into Group 2 or only into Group 3 are no longer produced. All now fit into either Group 2 and 3 (15 – 36 kg)
or Groups 1 to 3 (9 – 36 kg).
Babies
Babies must be carried in rearward-facing baby seats. They are designed for babies up to 13 kgs (29 lbs) in weight. It is best to keep babies rearward facing for as long as possible because this provides much better protection for their head, neck and spine. They should only be put in a forward-facing seat when they have exceeded the maximum weight for the baby seat and can sit up unaided or the top of their head is higher than the top of the baby seat.
Young ChildrenIt is dangerous and illegal to place a rearward-facing baby seat in the front if there is an active frontal passenger airbag because the airbag would strike the baby seat with considerable force if it went off.
Children weighing 9 - 18 kgs (20 - 40 lbs), roughly from 9 months to 4 years, should travel in a forward-facing child seat. They have an integral 5-point harness which should include a 'crotch strap' to prevent the child from sliding out feet first in an accident. The top of the harness should be at shoulder height and it should only be possible to fit two fingers between the harness and the child’s chest. It is important to check the harness every time it is used. Keep children in this type of seat until they are too heavy for it.
Older Children
Booster seats and booster cushions are for children from 15 kgs (33 lbs) to either 25 Kgs (55 lbs) or 36 kgs (79 lbs). Some start from 9 kgs (20 lbs).
They are mainly designed to raise children so that the adult seat belt fits them properly, but many also provide protection from side impact. The adult seat belt goes around the child and the seat (some have an integral harness for younger children).The lap belt must go under the arms of the seat and as low as possible over the child’s pelvis, not up over their tummy. The diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder, not the neck. Many have an adjustable clip to help position the belt on the shoulder.
Booster seats have a high back, which can be removed on many models to convert it into a booster cushion when the child is big enough.
Children over 135 cms tall or aged 12 years and above
A child who is 135 cms tall or who is 12 years or older, can travel using the seat belt on its own. It is better for children to continue to use a booster seat until they are 150 cms tall.
If a child is heavier than the maximum weight (36kg) for a booster seat, but not yet tall enough to use to use an adult seat belt on its own, it is better to keep them in the booster seat or cushion until they have reached 135 cms in height.
Suitable for the Car
Whether a child restraint can be fitted in a particular car will depend on the shape and length of the car’s seats, the position of the seat belt buckles and the size and shape of the child restraint. It is essential to make sure that any child restraint being used can be properly fitted in the car(s) in which it is used. An incorrectly fitted seat will not provide the protection it should do and may even cause injuries.
One of the most common mistakes is to leave the child seat too loose. Make sure that it has been fitted according to the manufacturer's instructions and that it does not move about when pulled by hand. If it has a device to prevent the seat belt slipping once it has been tightened, make sure this is in the locked position. Remember, always try out a child seat in your car before purchasing it.
ISOFix
Many new cars now have ISOFIX points built into them, however it is not yet mandatory and some new vehicles may not have them. New types of vehicles must be fitted with ISOFix points from November 2012 and all new vehicles must be fitted with it from November 2014. This will not apply to cars with only one row of seats, which will not be required to have ISOFIX
Check that the ISOFix child seat will fit the vehicle(s) in which it is being used. Ask whether an additional top tether on the seat is needed. Some seats have a ‘foot’ that extends to the vehicle floor, in which case check it does not rest on the cover of an underfloor compartment.
Safe Condition
It is also important to check that child car seats are in a safe condition.
They must conform to the UN ECE R44.03 or later standard (e.g. R44.04), and display an "E" mark with the weight range of child for which it is designed.
Older ones that conform to a British Standard or to an earlier version of R44 are still in use. From May 2008, all child restraints in use will legally have to meet R44.03 or later standards.
Replacing Seats
Child car seats suffer from wear and tear, especially if they are constantly being put into and taken out of cars. They should be replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations or about every five years. If they are not used regularly, store them out of direct sunlight and where they are not likely to suffer accidental damage.
Child car seats and adult seat belts that were in a vehicle involved in a crash should be replaced, as they may have suffered damage that is not visible to the naked eye, and would not provide protection in a second crash. The replacement cost is normally included as part of any insurance claim.
Beware of a second-hand child restraint as it may not be possible to be certain of its history. It may have been involved in an accident and have hidden damage. It is likely that the instructions will be missing. Second-hand seats are also likely to be older, to have suffered more wear and tear and may not be designed to current safety standards.
Last updated: January 12, 2012
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