In-car safety

Choosing and Fitting

Buying

  • Choose the right restraint for your child’s height and weight. Weight is the most important factor – age should only be used as a guide.
  • Try the car seat for fit in your car – or cars – you will use it in.
  • Look for the official approval mark (usually the United Nations ‘E’ mark). The current UN standard is Regulation 44.03.
  • Beware of second-hand seats. They could have been damaged and may not meet modern standards. The fitting instructions may also be missing.

Fitting

  • The child seat must be tight in the adult seat. Push all your weight into the child seat as you tighten the belt.
  • There should be no excessive forward or sideways movement.
  • The seatbelt buckle should be straight when locked. It should not rest on the child car seat frame as it may snap open in an accident.
  • Keep the fitting instructions in the car.
  • Any doubts, ask a professional to show you how.

Airbag

  • Never fit a rear facing child restraint in a seat with an active airbag in front of it.
  • Forward-facing restraints should be as far back from the airbag as possible. Check the car handbook.

Seating your child

  • Make sure the harness is correctly adjusted – only one or two adult fingers should fit between the child’s chest and harness.
  • If you are using a booster seat or cushion, the adult seatbelt should rest on the child’s shoulder, not neck and from hip bone to hip bone.
  • Never tuck the seatbelt under the child’s arm or behind the back.
  • No car seat is child proof, encourage your child not to play with the buckle.



Page last updated on: 10/03/2005