Car Safety for Your Child — Get the Right Seat

Being safe in a car is essential for all occupants. But this is especially the case when it comes to children. To help in this endeavour, you need to have the right car seat for your child to ensure proper safety considerations are met.

In the UK, there are some strict legal requirements when it comes to child car seats. For instance, children must use a car seat until they are over 135 cm tall or have reached 12 years old, whichever comes first. Correct car seat usage is integral in saving lives, which is why this article aims to help parents make informed, safer choices when it comes to their car seat selections.

Types of Car Seats and how to Choose

Car seats come in different groups — 0, 0+, 1, 2 and 3. Each one has specific usage or requirements depending on the age, weight and height of the child. As such, careful research needs to be done to ensure the best possible seat in terms of safety is being purchased. Not only that though, there are other concerns to consider such as where the seat is being placed within the car. There are rear-facing as well as forward-facing seats. These days, there are also combination seats, booster seats, Isofix and i-Size options. When choosing any or all of these options, it’s also important to look at the legal markers such as R129 or ECE R44. These are EU labels relating to safety and, for the best seating, these should be checked for with only seats with these on being bought.

In addition to the type of car seat, you should also be considering specific safety tips when installing these seats into the car. All the proper steps for correct installation should always be followed. And, while you can place car seats in the front, it’s better to place them in the back as this is safer.

For any seats being place in the front, the front airbags should be deactivated if a rear-facing seat is used in the front seat. It’s also important for the child to avoid wearing bulky clothes when they are sitting in the seat. And, fitting checks should be done regularly to ensure the harness is not too loose or too tight.

The Value of High-Quality Car Seats and How to Save Money

The cost of car seats can be a little exorbitant. And this means you may be looking at cheaper options that match your budget. As with many things though, it’s better to look for higher quality products and spend a little more. That being said, car seats can range from as little £50 to as much as £250. As safety is paramount, it is worth looking at the more expensive seats as these simply offer better quality products. Nevertheless, it can be hard to justify these additional costs if you’re on a strict budget.

And this is where specialised websites can come into play. Many websites specifically aimed at parents and children, such as Mamas & Papas, are great places to look if you want to check out a range of options. Additionally, we suggest that you also take a look at the available Mamas & Papas discount codes from trusted platforms as well. This can significantly help parents get high-quality seats at affordable prices. Using these codes means you don’t have to compromise on quality or safety when making your purchases. Instead, you have access to top-rated products, which can make a huge difference when you’re driving with your kids.

New Campaigns for Safety Standards

In recent years, there have been further pushes to ensure that UK parents and drivers abide by even more specific requirements. The push includes the demand to require rear-facing seats until children are four years old, something that is already done in Sweden. Statistics from both UK and Swedish parents, show that there are more benefits when it comes to extended usage of rear-facing seats. Rear facing seats are often life-saving as they better protect children in crashes. As such, there is a need for greater public awareness and potentially the use of professional fitting services to ensure everything is installed properly.

Make sure that you choose a seat suitable to the age, height and weight of your child. Take a look at high-quality car seat options from specialised retailers and get help with installation to make sure it is done properly.