Changes to Child Seat Laws – what you need to know
As of March 1st child seat laws within the UK have changed and we’re on hand to bring you up to speed to ensure you adhere to the new set of regulations.
Being a parent is tough enough, transporting your kids from one place to another – don’t get us started! We all pray that this potentially agonising journey from A to B goes as seamlessly as possible, however,something is always out to get us! One thing we certainly don’t want out to get us is the law, so it’s worth taking the time to check over the new rules to ensure you comply.
Under the new Government regulations, booster seat manufacturers are not allows to introduce new models of backless booster seats for children who fall under the height of 125cm or weight of 22kg. This legislation has been launched as the backless seats offer much less protection in the unfortunate event of a collision. The rule will see a change across the whole of Europe on how these booster cushions are produced. It’s important to stress that this doesn’t mean your current seat or cushion is illegal or unsafe and the ruling will change only for new products but the Department for Transport are keen to ensure parents are advised of the new rulings and why they have been implemented, and we couldn’t agree more.
The new rules state that children must use a child seat until they’re 12 years old *OR* reach a height of 135cm, whichever eventually is reached first. They will then move onto use an adult seatbelt under the new regulations. From now onwards backless booster cushions will only be eligible for children over 125 cm or weighing over 22kg and this will be clearly marked on all products that fall under this category.
Under UN laws a child seat must be complicit of the following rules:
· Be suitable for your child passengers weight and size
· Be in a safe and working condition
· Be correctly fitted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
· Comply with the UN’s ECE Regulation 44.04 (or44.03) or the new i-Size regulation, R129.
It’s important to keep an eye out for the correct labelling on any new products purchased. A study recently suggested that two-thirds of parents were unaware of the current safety standards for travelling with children, and as many as 19,358 child seatbelt violations were recorded between 2013 and 2015.
So, make sure your child is fitted with the correct car seat and before you go out and buy your next model, make sure it’s safe and complies with all the correct regulations!
