Child and baby car seat safety

Understanding the basics of child and baby car seat safety is essential when you are travelling with your new baby by car and you will need to familiarise yourself with both the law and the broader safety considerations as they relate to child car seats in the UK.

Child safety in car journeys – the law

Although there are some rare exceptions, all children under the age of 12 years and shorter than 135cm must be provided with a suitable car seat when travelling in a car or goods vehicle. The following are the key points of child and baby car seat safety:

• Any child younger than three must have a suitable car seat when travelling in any car or goods vehicle (with the exception of rear taxi seat in the event that no child seat is available).
• Any child who is three or older and is shorter than 135cm must be provided with a suitable car seat when travelling in a car or goods vehicle that is fitted with a seat belt (exceptions are listed below).
• If the vehicle has seat belts you cannot carry more people (including children) than there are fitted seat belts.
• Any child seat used must meet the specifications laid down by Regulation 44 (no earlier than the 03 version). This means that regulations 44.03 or 44.04 are acceptable but regulations 44.02 are not.
• Child seats are also acceptable if they are approved by Regulation 129 (i-Size) — this newer European-wide regulation offers an enhanced level of protection.
• Rear-facing baby seats cannot be used in conjunction with an active front air-bag.

Exceptions

Exceptions may be made to some of the rules in the following circumstances:

• The child is three or older and is being taken on an unforeseen emergency or necessary journey over a short distance (nonetheless they must still sit in the rear passenger seat and use an adult seatbelt).
• The child is under three and is travelling in the back seat of a taxi and no child car seat is available (in which case they may travel without a seatbelt).
• The child is three or older and is travelling in a taxi and no car seat is available (in which case they must still use the adult seat belt).
• There are already three children travelling in the car and there is no room for another child car seat, in which case: if the child is under three they must travel in the front seat with the correct child car seat; if the child is three or older they must sit in the back using the adult seat belt.(1)

Airbag warning

You must not use a rear-facing child car seat on a passenger seat if it has an active passenger airbag fitted. This is because if the airbag is activated, your child is at risk of severe injury or even death. However, if you are using a forward-facing seat, you should check your vehicle’s handbook and put the vehicle’s seat as far back as possible on its runners.(2)

Child car safety facts

• It is not safe to carry a baby (even a very small baby) in your arms or on your lap while in a moving car – if the vehicle crashes at 30mph, trying to hold on to the baby would be equivalent to trying to lift 8 bags of cement.
• Adult seat belts are unsuitable for children under 135cm. They do not fit correctly and can result in a child sustaining injuries in the event of a crash.
• Second-hand car seats cannot be legally sold in the UK if they do not meet new regulations.
• You should never use a second-hand car seat unless you can be sure that it has not been dropped or involved in an accident. This is because it could be damaged but display no visible signs of being compromised.
• Although it is legal for a child to travel in the front of a car, it is safer for them to travel in the back, so you should always put your child in rear passenger seats when possible.
• Not all car seats are suitable for all cars so check online to see which models are suitable for your vehicle and “try before you buy”.
• Be sure that your child’s car seat is safe for use in your childminder’s or a grandparent’s vehicle before allowing your child to travel with them (or ensure that they have a safe and suitable alternative).
• ISOFIX seats tend to be more secure in most cars so it is a good idea to see if an ISOFIX seat is compatible with your vehicle.

Different seats for different ages and heights

Your child will require a different type of car seat depending on their age and/or size. Height-based seats are known as ‘i-size seats’ and will need to be rear-facing until your baby is more than 15 months. If you wish to use a height-based car seat, only those that have a label showing a capital E in a circle and R129 are approved for use in the UK.

In this section, we take a look at the weight-based car seat groups as most major UK retailers sell seats based on these categories.

Car seats for newborns and babies up to 13kg

Newborns and babies up to 13kg should travel in a rear-facing baby seat that is classed in group 0 or 0+. However, group 0 is being phased out, so most likely it will be 0+. You should position your group 0 or 0+ child car seat in the rear of your car. If there is a specific reason why your child must travel in the front seat, you must disable the airbag as this could cause your baby injury in the event of an accident.

Car seats for babies and toddlers between 9 and 18 kg

If your baby or toddler is between 9 and 18 kg (approximately nine months to four-and-a-half years old), they should travel in a group 1 child car seat. Although children in this age range can travel in a forward-facing seat, there are still some rear-facing seats available. You may wish to consider one of these as the research suggests that rear-facing seats are safer; in fact, the NHS has concluded that you should keep your child in a rear-facing seat “for as long as possible”.(3) However, as with all child car seats, you should ensure that the particular model is suitable for your car before purchasing.

Car seats for children 15 kg and up

Group 2 and 3 child car seats are what we typically think of as “booster seats”. You should not rush to put your child into one of these seats because as long as your child fits into a group 1 seat, they are likely to be safer in the event of an accident as the full seat provides added head and neck protection..

As a general rule, your child should transition from a group 1 to a group 2 or group 3 seat if they have grown to the point that their eye-line is above the level of the group 1’s seat back.

Children who are 12 or older or 135cm or taller

By this age or height, your child is legally allowed to use an adult seat belt. However, plenty of child car seats still cater to children who fit this profile and you may wish to investigate your options if you have concerns that the adult seat belt does not correctly fit your child – i.e. it lies across their stomach and neck rather than the chest, shoulder and hips.

Find out more about child car seats and the law on the GOV>UK website: https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

How long can you keep a newborn in a child car seat?

According to research carried out by Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with the University of Southampton and the University of Bristol, newborn babies may struggle to breathe properly if they are left in a car seat for significant durations of time, particularly if the seat is relatively upright (a 40-degree angle). As such, you should seek to limit time spent by your newborn in their child car seat to no more than 30 minutes at a time.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents recommends that babies are given a 15-minute break every two hours that they spend in their car seats.(4) If you bring a nice large blanket with you, you can put this on the ground during these stops so that your child can stretch out and, if she is old enough, have some tummy time.

Sun safety in the car

Always think about the sun when travelling in the car with your baby, particularly if it is between 10AM and 4PM during March to October. Although the glass will filter out most UVB rays, harmful UVA rays can still penetrate most vehicle rear windows. It is a good idea to buy a UV shield or to install a professional protective window film in order to protect your child from the sun’s rays.

For more tips and useful information, read our page on long car journeys with your baby.

1. https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat
2. https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/child-safety/car-seats
3. https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/warning-over-car-seats-for-babies/
4. https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/warning-over-babies-sleeping-in-car-seats/