Travelling by car is something that most of us do without thinking. We drive to work, we drive to the shop, and we drive on holiday. Most of the time car journeys are accident free. However, the risks of injury for unrestrained passengers travelling in a car are very high and as a result all passengers are required to wear seat belts by law.
Drivers carrying children under 14 years of age as passengers are responsible for ensuring that the correct child restraint is being used and may face a fine for failing to do so.
All children up to 135cm tall (around 4’5″), or the age of 12, whichever comes first, whether travelling in the front or rear seats, in cars, vans and other goods vehicles must travel in the correct child restraint for their weight. Visitors to the UK from abroad must also use the correct child restraint for their children – there are no exceptions for them.
There are some limited exceptions to this rule:
- When using a licensed taxi or a licensed private hire vehicle
- In cases of unexpected necessity over a short distance
- Where two occupied child restraints in the rear seat prevent you fitting a third
- In older vehicles with no rear seat belts
Choosing and fitting a car seat
There are a wide range of car seats on the market and you need to ensure that you select a seat that is suitable for your child’s weight and height.
Shapes of child seats differ, and the size and position of seat belt anchor sites varies from car to car, so you should confirm the chair is suitable for your vehicle.
It is less risky if children travel in the rear of the car wherever possible. If there is no alternative to the child travelling in the front seat, ensure that the seat is positioned as far back as possible to minimise risk of injury. You should be aware that if your car is fitted with a passenger-side airbag a rear-ward facing child seat should not be used. Check with your vehicle manufacturer about how the airbags deploy and find out whether it is safe to use a child seat near to the airbag.
If you are unsure about how to correctly fit a child car seat it is advisable to find a professional to do it for you.
More detailed information about choosing and using child car seats can be found by clicking on the web link below.
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