Child car seats – getting it right

Rather worryingly, the RAC have reported that seven out of every ten child car seats are not fitted correctly or are not being used in the right way, as Speedy Reg have discovered.

The back seats are the best place for car seats. It’s illegal to put a rear facing car seat on the passenger seat if there’s an airbag installed as it could be lethal to the infant if it is deployed. Side airbags can also injure a child, so it’s a good idea to find out how far any airbags would reach and ensure your child isn’t too near. The middle of the back of the car is the safest place for a car seat.

It’s also important to choose the right seat for your child. Weight is the determining factor and it’s important to keep weighing your child, and change the car seat as they grow.

Take your time when fitting the car seat. Read the instructions carefully and double check everything. If you’re worried about getting it right, or the seat seems loose when you’ve fitted it, consider taking it to an expert. Some car accessory shops have a car seat fitting service that you can take advantage of. Some retailers will even fit your seat for you if you buy it from them, so that’s something to bear in mind when you’re shopping for a car seat.

Photo credit: By Cschirp (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons