Children are our most treasured and precious passengers in our cars. Every parent or carer wants to keep their child safe when they are travelling.
Choosing the right car seat and fitting it correctly is key to keeping our children safe in a car.
The law refers to using an appropriate child seat. All seats will display what weight, height and age of a child the seat is suitable for, so check it is the right one and don't risk it.
Buying a car seat can feel overwhelming as there is so much information to consider - our top tips to help you are:
- know the height and weight of the child that you are buying the seat for;
- consider how many other passengers you normally or occasionally need to transport;
- know the make, model and year of the vehicle(s) you will be using the car seat in (not every seat fits every car). Look at the vehicle handbook to check compatible seating positions. Note that many seven-seater vehicles do not allow car seats in the rear two seats of the vehicle.);
- find out whether your vehicle has isofix points, tether points, under floor storage boxes or removable head restraints;
- always check that the car seat fits your vehicle before purchasing.
Car seats can seem expensive, however when you break the cost down into weekly amounts based on how long your child is likely to use the seat, it can cost as little as 50p a week.
It is a fact that over 80% of child seats checked at our road side events are incorrectly fitted.
The council offers free and non-judgemental car seat checks and advice - keep an eye on the borough's social media channels for upcoming events.