Seat belts and child restraints

The law means:

• Children aged three and over, up to 135cms in height (approx 4ft 5ins) have to use an appropriate child restraint.
• Children under three have to use an appropriate child restraint appropriate for their weight in any vehicle (including vans and other goods vehicles).

For more information on how this may affect you please visit www.childcarseats.org.uk

It is important to use the right child restraint related to your child's weight and not to use an adult belt before the child is over 135cm in height.

Seat belts are designed for adults. Children who have grown out of child seats still need to use booster seats and booster cushions. A booster seat or cushion is designed to raise your child up into the right position so that the adult belt can provide adequate protection. Getting the lap strap to go from hip to hip across the upper thigh (rather than across the stomach) is just as important as getting the diagonal strap to fit across the chest properly.

Children aged four and under are 10 times more likely to be killed in a car accident if they are unrestrained and as many as seven out of ten child car seats are unsafe.

It is surprising how many adults will get in a car and put their seat belt on, but allow their children to sit unrestrained on their laps or on the back seat. It is a driver's legal responsibility to ensure that children are properly secured - if you have a car seat, you must ensure it is safely fitted. Follow fitting instructions or seek advice from the retailer.

Not only children are at risk

Around 40 front seat passengers are killed every year in Britain as a result of the back seat passenger being unrestrained. During a collision an unrestrained child sat in the back can hit the driver with a force equivalent to the weight of a baby elephant.

Free child car seat checks are available from the Road Safety team: 0845 2302882 or email roadsafety@buckscc.gov.uk

There are three exceptions: -

1. Travelling in a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle being used to carry passengers for hire and no appropriate child restraint is available, providing they do not occupy a front seat.
2. When a third child is being carried and two child restraints are already fitted in the back of a car or light van and lack of space prevents the fitting of a third child restraint. In such circumstance the third child must use an adult seat belt in the rear of the vehicle.
3. When no child restraint or an insufficient number are available, an adult seat belt may be used in the rear of cars and light vans on occasional journeys over a short distance.*

*This is not intended to provide an exemption for regular trips such as "school run" but for exceptional events such an occasion when a child's normal form of transport is unexpectedly unavailable.

Rear facing baby seats must not be use in a seat protected by an active frontal air bag.

The following changes to Seatbelt Law are due in May 2008

• All child restraints must conform to UN-ECE regulation 44/03 or any subsequently agreed standard.

The following changes to Seatbelt Law in May 2009

• All occupants of cars must use seatbelts, where provided while seated and the vehicle is in motion, and the number of people carried in such vehicles may not exceed the number of seats available fitted with seatbelts or child restraints.

Tips for safer car seats

• Never use a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat of a car fitted with passenger airbag. 
• Always make sure that the child restraint carries either the United Nations "E" mark or BS "Kitemark"
• Make sure the car seat is suitable for your car - not all are alike - get advice
• Don't buy car seats second hand
• If your car seat is fitted correctly it should stay in place, even when pulled on by an adult.
• Keep your child in a rear facing seat for as long as possible as this is the safest position for them to be in
• Set your child a good example and make sure they understand how important it is for them to wear their seat belts.