My Health

Child Car Seat Safety

The law requires that all children in cars, vans and other goods vehicles are to be carried in an appropriate child restraint from birth until they are either 135cm (4'5") tall or have reached 12 years of age (whichever comes first). They must then use a seatbelt (although it would be preferable to use a booster seat or booster cushion until they are 150cm / 5' tall).

 

Some other tips when choosing a car seat:

  • Choose a seat that is suitable for your child's weight and height:
- Babies should be in rear-facing baby seats.
- Do not move your child to a forward-facing seat until they weigh at least 9 kilograms and can sit up unaided.
- Once your child is above the maximum weight for a rear facing seat or the top of their head is above the top of the seat they should be moved into a forward-facing seat.
  • Do not buy a second-hand seat unless you can be certain of its history. It may have been involved in an accident and been seriously weakened. It may not have instructions or be designed to current standards.
  • Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions and make sure the seatbelt passes through all the correct guides on the child seat. If you do not have the instructions you can contact the manufacturer to provide you with a copy.
  • Push your weight into the child seat as you tighten the seat belt to make sure the child seat is securely held.
  • If you are fitting a forward-facing child seat in the front of a car make sure the car seat is as far back as it will go as this reduces the possibility of head or chest injuries in a crash. If you take the child seat out of the car make sure you fit it properly every time you put it back in. If it stays in the car permanently check it regularly to make sure it is still securely held.
  • Make sure your child uses the seat for every single journey no matter how short.
  • If you are using a booster seat or cushion, the adult seatbelt should rest on the child's shoulder and travel from hip bone to hip bone. Never tuck the seatbelt under the child's arm or behind their back.
  • Some children go through a phase of slipping out of the harness or releasing the buckle but do not change the buckle to prevent this as you might affect the quick release mechanism.
  • From May 2008 all child restraints must comply with the UN ECE44.03 standard (or subsequent versions).
  • Always set a good example by wearing your seat belt.

 

Child Car Seat Safety

» Child car seats

 

» Back to Top

Did you know

  •    You are entitled to review your medications with your local pharmacist free of charge.
  •    A healthy balanced diet, taking more exercise and losing weight if necessary may delay the onset of diabetes.
  •    Young people aged 13-25 years can access free, confidential sexual health advice and condoms from the Cardiff Condom-Card (C-Card) Scheme.
  •    A reduction in dietary salt intake from 9g to 6g could reduce blood pressure.
  •    In England and Wales, alcohol misuse leads to some 33,000 hospital admissions each year for alcohol-related liver disease.
  •    Improving your diet could prevent an estimated third of cancers.
  •    Over 40% of 5 year olds in Cardiff have one or more decayed teeth.
  •    Currently, over half of the population of Cardiff are reported to be overweight or obese.
  •    If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who hasn't been drinking.
  •    A healthy balance diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight have been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of hypertension.
  •    Obesity is associated with a reduction in life expectancy of approximately 9 years.
  •    Regular exercise can really help if you're feeling depressed, stressed or anxious.
  •    A diet rich in fruit and vegetables decreases the risk of coronary heart disease.
  •    Of the people alive today, 650 million will eventually be killed by tobacco.
  •    An extra portion of fruit and vegetables per day could decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by 4% and stroke by 6%.
  •    If you are regularly physically active, you are 50% less likely of becoming obese.
  •    Nearly £2000 a year could be saved by quitting smoking 20 cigarettes per day.
  •    If you are regularly physically active, you are approximately 50% less likely to develop coronary health disease than those who do not exercise.
  •    By taking regular physical activity you are at reduced risk of developing osteoporosis.
  •    Smoking during pregnancy has been identified as a cause of cot death.
  •    In Wales, the total cost of physical inactivity to the health service and the economy as a whole is estimated at around £650 million per year.
  •    6,000 deaths from coronary heart disease in men each year are directly due to alcohol.
  •    Only 26% of adults in Cardiff undertake the recommended 5 x 30 minutes exercise per week.