Car Safety for Children
When you’re a parent, your children's safety is paramount, especially if you’re regularly travelling around with them in your car. According to the Child Accident Protection Trust, approximately 12 children under 10 years old are either injured or killed as passengers each day due to poor car safety, so it’s important to consider the following steps when transporting your children in the car.
Select the right car safety seat
Legally, children under the age of 12, or under 135cm tall have to use a car seat. You have to ensure you’re using the correct car seat for your child’s age and size, and here are the main types:
Baby Seat
Use this type of seat if your baby is up to 13kg in size. These seats are designed to go in the back of the car and be rear facing, but some can be placed on the front seat. Although, if this is the case, make sure to turn off the front passenger side airbag.
Child Seat
These child seats are made for children weighing 15-28kg. They are forward facing, and can be fixed in place with ISOFIX child seating mounts.
Booster Seat
These seats are for children weighing upwards of 25kg. They are designed so they ‘boost’ your child's height to ensure the seatbelt is fitted correctly.
When it comes to choosing the right car seat for your child, all models are different and will fit differently depending on the car you have, so it’s integral to test it before you buy. Follow the manufacturer's installation recommendations to ensure you’ve installed it correctly and safely.
Also, only EU-Approved child safety seats are legally allowed to be used in the UK, so make sure to look out for the capital E in a circle and ‘ECE R44’ when buying your child car seat.
We recommend reading some reviews before you buy, so you can get a genuine, unbiased opinion.
Doors and Windows
Activate child locks
Activating your vehicle's child safety locks ensures your child can’t open the doors while your car is moving or idle. They can usually be found on the inside of the car doors, however check your owners manual if you’re unsure where the child locks are located on your vehicle if you can’t find them.
Invest in a window sun shade
During the summer, it can get extremely hot in your car. Children are highly susceptible to overheating and dehydration, so it’s important to get a sun shade to protect them.
Lock your windows
Many cars have electric windows now, which can be extremely dangerous if your children begin playing with them, as they could trap their limbs and seriously injure themselves, or just climb out of the window altogether. To prevent this, activate the window child locks for the back seats.
Other child car safety tips
Ensure no hazards are within reach, such as hot drinks, or sharp objects and stow these away in the glovebox.
Never leave your child unattended in the car. They could easily crawl out of their child seat, injure themselves or activate some of the car's functions.
Teach your children about car safety around other cars, how to behave in car parks, and road safety. For example, teaching them not to shout and kick the back of your seat while you’re driving to prevent you getting distracted.
Consider the safety rating when buying a family car; use a trusted website such as Euro NCAP.
Other useful resources:
What to look for in a family car