Road Safety
Child car seats
Children who are passengers in a vehicle must use a child restraint. This is a national legal requirement which came into force in September 2006. The term "child restraint" is the collective term in the seat belt legislation for baby seats, child seats, booster seats and booster cushions.
What the law says
All children up to 135cm tall (around 4'5"), or the age of 12, whichever comes first, seated in the front or rear of cars, vans and other goods vehicles must travel in the correct child restraint for their weight with very few exceptions.
Top safety tips
It's important that your child restraint fits well. Checking the fit of your child's car seat every journey could save their life or protect them from serious injury.
- Check the seat fits every trip
- Is the seat correct for your child’s weight and height?
- Make sure the harness is correctly adjusted – one or two fingers should fit between the child’s chest and harness.
- If you are using a booster seat or cushion the adult seat belt should go from the hip bone to the hip bone and rest on the child’s shoulder not neck.
- Never tuck the seat belt under the child’s arm or behind their back.
- Check seat fits before you buy
- Don’t buy second hand seat – you don’t know its history.
Downloadable guides
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Buying and fitting a child's car seat
367kb
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Seatbelts and child restraints 909kb
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How to wear your seatbelt safely through pregnancy 406kb
More advice on child car seats
These organisations have detailed guidance about the use of child restraints:
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Department of Transport THINK! road safety
Think! Road Safety - child restraints page -
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Carrying children safely - child car seats -
Britax is a well known manufacturer of child restraints
Britax child restraint fitting guide
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