Young People and Children
Child In Car Safety
Child in Car Safety
Child Car Seat Regulations September 2006
The regulations governing the use of child car seats came into force on 18 September 2006. The standard fixed penalty for not using a child restraint is £30, if the case goes to court the maximum fine is £500
New regulations
| Front seat | Rear seat | Who is responsible? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Driver | |
| Child up to 3 years* | Correct child restraint MUST be used*. | Correct child restraint MUST be used*. If one is not available in a taxi, may travel unrestrained. | Driver |
| Child from 3rd birthday up to 135cms in height (approx 4'5") or 12th birthday whichever they reach first** | Correct child restraint MUST be used***. | Correct child restraint MUST be used where seat belts fitted. MUST use adult belt if the correct child restraint is not available: - in a licensed taxi/private hire vehicle; - for a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity; - two occupied child restraints prevent fitment of a third. A child 3 and over may travel unrestrained in the rear seat of a vehicle if seat belts are not available. |
Driver |
| Child over 1.35 metres (approx 4ft 5ins) in height or 12 or 13 years | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Driver |
| Adult passengers (ie 14 years and over) | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Passenger |
In addition, the revised regulations also say that rear-facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protected by a frontal air-bag unless the air-bag has been deactivated manually or automatically.
* Children under 3 years MUST use the child restraint appropriate for their weight in all cars, vans and other goods vehicles, with the single exception for the rear of taxis. They cannot travel otherwise. This means for example that they may not travel in cars, vans or goods vehicles which do not have seat belts installed.
** Examples. A 7 year old who is 140 cms tall is over the height for a child restraint and may use an adult seat belt. A 12 year old who is 130 cms tall is over the age threshold and therefore may use an adult belt.
*** If no seat belts are fitted in the front, then children under 135 cms in height (who are also under 12 years of age) cannot travel in the front.
| Resources | Description |
|---|---|
Child In Car Safety  (863KB - pdf help) |
Devon's own guide to child car seat safety. |
| Seat Belts and child restraints (905KB - pdf help) |
A booklet with the regulations and general seat belt advice. |
| Buckle up for baby and you (404KB - pdf help) |
A leaflet giving advice on how to wear a seatbelt through pregnancy. |
Why use a child seat
When a vehicle is involved in a crash it comes to an abrupt halt. If not restrained, occupants will have their own crash into the vehicle structure. Restraint systems are therefore designed to help keep people away from the vehicle structure and to distribute the forces of a crash over the strongest parts of the human body, with minimum damage to the soft tissues.
Adults are restrained by a three point seat belt. This is designed for adults and not for children. Children are not small adults. They are proportioned differently and their key organs are in different places. Their tissues have different strengths and weaknesses and their needs change as they grow. Therefore they need a child restraint system to cope with the different stages of their development.
Having a suitable, well fitted and properly used restraint is essential to ensuring that your child travels safely in your vehicle. Buying the right seat can offer a confusing range of options - fitting the seat properly can be even more complicated.
 | We give FREE advice on choosing and fitting child seat restraints and or can check that the current car seat you own is suitable for both your child and your vehicle. If you are interested in accessing this service then please go to our Child Car Seat Check Service page. |
Special training days are also available for midwives, health visitors and care professionals in the private and public sector. Visit our Child in Car Safety Training page for more information.
Nationally Available Information
- Particularly useful is the Child Car Seats website which offers a detailed guide to everything you need to know about buying and using a suitable restraint for your child.
- A number of manufacturers of child car restraints offer a service which allows you to check the compatibility between the child restraint and the vehicle.
- As a parent or guardian of young children, you may also wish to visit the parent pages of the Government's Think! Road Safety website. There is useful information on fitting of child car restraints and a range of resources for you to access. Click here to go straight to the page.
