The Law on Child Safety Seats

8th November 2017 | ifa_admin

By law, all children must use a child car seat until they are twelve years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first. Child car seats can be chosen based on your child’s weight or on their height

Weight Based Seats – Only EU approved weight-based car seats can be used in the UK, and these will have a label showing a capital ‘E’ in a circle and ‘ECER44’. Here is a list of the criteria when choosing the correct seat:

Child’s weight Group Seats
0-10kg 0 Lie flat baby carrier, rear facing baby carrier, rear facing baby seat using a harness.
0-13kg 0+ Rear facing baby carrier or seat using a harness.
9-18kg 1 Rear or forward-facing baby seat using a harness or safety shield.
15-25kg 2 Rear or forward-facing child car seat using a seat belt, harness or safety shield.
22-36kg 3 Rear or forward-facing child car seat using a seat belt, harness or safety shield.

 

Height Based Seats – Only EU approved height-based child car seats can be used in the UK. These have a label showing a capital ‘E’ in a circle and ‘R129’. Height-based car seats must be rear facing until your child is over 15 months old

Fitting a Seat – You must:

  • Deactivate any front airbags before fitting a rear facing baby seat in the front seat
  • Not fit a child car seat in side facing seats
  • Only use a child car seat if your car’s seatbelt has a diagonal strap, unless the seat is either designed for use with a lap seatbelt or fitted using ISOFIX anchor points

The same rules apply for children with medical conditions or disabilities. However, children are allowed to use a disabled person’s seatbelt, or a child restraint designed for their needs. If a child is unable to use a restraint/seatbelt due to their condition, a doctor can issue an exemption certificate

« Are Your Tyre’s Rain Ready?Can I Still Drive My Car If It Fails It’s MOT? »