Which car seat is best for your
child?
There are a variety of child seats available, and
using the correct child seat depends on the weight, size and age of
your child.
For specific information in relation to your child,
you should refer to manufacturer instructions on each product, but here
is a
quick guide to the different types available.
Infant carrier also known as rearward-facing baby
seats Newborn to 13kg)
For a very young child this is the safest seat available.
According to RoSPA (Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents), rearward-facing
seats provide greater protection for the baby's head, neck and spine
than forward-facing seats. So, it is best to keep your baby in a rearward-facing
seat for as long as possible. Only move them to a forward-facing seat
once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the baby seat, or the
top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.
The baby seat is rear-facing and the baby is strapped
in with an adjustable safety harness. The seat is secured with the car's
adult seat belt. The carrier will fit on the back or front passenger
seat.
Infant carriers are now available from some manufacturers
as part of a travel system, which is compatible with a pushchair.
Never use a rear facing infant carrier in the
front seat of a car fitted with a passenger airbag. In the event of
an accident, the expanding airbag is liable to cause fatal injury to
the child.
Remember, because infant carriers don't lie completely
flat, new babies should not be left to sleep in them for longer than
2 hours. So keep that journey short!
Combination seat (Newborn to 18kg)
 The
baby faces rearward from birth to 13kg, on the front passenger seat (unless
there is an airbag fitted) or on the back seat. It then faces forward
up to 18kg.
This seat is not designed to be taken in and out of
the car all the time, and is not suitable for carrying the baby around.
Forward facing seat (9kg - 18kg)
 A
forward facing seat is used on the back seat and can only be used in
the front if there isn't an airbag fitted or if the airbag is turned
off.
The child is restrained by the seat's harness, and
is fixed on the car's seat by an adult seat belt.
Booster and backrest seat (15kg - 36kg)
These
raise a child so that an adult seat belt can be used  effectively. Some
have guides to ensure the belt fits correctly. Both the booster seat
and the child are secured by the adult seat belt. These seats are not
designed for use with just an adult lap belt.
Isofix
ISOFIX is a new standard for installing child seats
into cars. It is intended to make fitting child seats quick and simple,
and was developed as a high proportion of all child seats are not fitted
securely enough.
 When
cars are manufactured, ISOFIX points are built into them. Child seat
manufacturers build ISOFIX fitting points on their child seats. This
will enable ISOFIX child seats to be simply plugged into the ISOFIX points
in the car.
To find out if your car has ISOFIX points, contact
the manufacturer or dealer.
Booster seat (22kg - 36kg - roughly from 6 - 11 years)
 These
can be used in the front or rear of the car, but it is safer to put them
in the rear, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front.
Booster seats do not have an integral harness to hold
the child in place, so it's important that the seat belt is correctly
adjusted.
The basic points to note are:
- The belt should be worn as tight as possible
- The lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not
the stomach
- The diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder,
not the neck
When fastening your child into the seat -
- Allow yourself plenty of time to check the seat
and secure your child every time you travel
- When using a seat with a harness check that the
harness is sufficiently secure, you should only fit one or two fingers
between the child's chest and the harness
- If you are using a booster seat the adult seat belt
should rest on your child's shoulder, not neck and from hip bone to
hip bone - never tuck the diagonal seat belt under your child's arm
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