It’s common knowledge that child car seats are a legal requirement in the UK, but road safety laws have been updated over the years, and understanding the latest rules and regulations can be a challenge!
By choosing the right child seat, you’re giving your little ones the best possible chance of protection in a collision. Plus, if you’re caught using an unsuitable or incorrectly fitted car seat, you could risk picking up a £500 fine – so you really want to make sure your child seat is fitted correctly and the right size for your child.
In this blog, we’ve simplified and explained the laws around child car seats – so you and your little ones can travel safely and with confidence.
The Law
The UK law states that a child must be in a car seat until they’re 12-years old, or 135cm tall – all children grow at different rates, so it’s simply whichever comes first.*
Only seats approved by the EU are legal in the UK. You can check if your child’s car seat is UK compliant by identifying a label with a capital ‘E’ in a circle.
Public Transport
There are a few instances when your child is exempt from using a car seat, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with the rules when you’re out and about exploring with your family.
Taxi or Minicab
You can travel with your child in a taxi or minicab without a child car seat, but wearing an adult seatbelt, as the driver is not required to provide the correct child car seat. However, they must travel in the rear and wear an adult seat belt if they’re over the age of three years old. If children are under three, they shouldn’t use a seat belt.
Minibuses
Children can travel in a minibus without a child car seat. However, if neither a child seat nor an adult seat belt is fitted, they must sit in the rear seats of the minibus. If child seats are not available or are unsuitable, children aged three or over must use an adult seat belt if one is provided.
Coach or Bus
Children can also travel in a coach or on a bus without a child car seat. However, on a coach they must use an adult seat belt if one is available.
Choosing the right car seat
When choosing your child’s car seat, you can pick between selecting a car seat based on either the child’s height or weight.
Height-based car child seats are known as i-Size seats. These are the only types of car seats we stock at Halfords. It’s important to note that if you use an i-Size seat and your child is 15 months old or less, then it must be fitted rear-facing with the airbag turned off on the passenger side to keep your little one safe and snug – this does not apply for weight-based seats.
When your child weighs more than 22kg or is taller than 125cm, you’ll need to use a backless booster seat. However, we recommend using a high-back booster seat
Children weighing more than 22kg or taller than 125cm can use a backless booster seat, however, booster seats do not offer any head or side protection, which is vital for young children who still have growing bones. High-back booster seats can be used by children who weigh between 15-36kg.
Used car seats
Second-hand car seats may be inexpensive, but their history is unknown — they could have been involved in a crash, which might have compromised their safety and structural integrity, leaving your little one at risk.
It’s always best to buy your child a new car seat every time they outgrow their current one. You can shop our full range of Halfords branded and branded car seats such as Joie, Graco, and Maxi-Cosi.
*ROI all children under 150cm in height or 36kg in weight must use a child car seat.
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Or choose our Premium membership for a monthly fee of £5.49 (£65.88) or £54 annually to unlock exclusive member pricing on all motoring products and services online and across our stores, garages and Halfords Mobile Experts, as well as a variety of other benefits that will help you to keep moving for less.
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