The law on child car seats

Summary of the law

• It is best to keep your baby in a rearward-facing seat for as long as possible, under current EU legislation this is considered to be until they are 13kg and can sit up unaided
• Some parents mistakenly move their child to a forward facing position at nine months due to a confusing weight group classification which allows children weighing at least 9kg to travel forward facing
• The only reason to move a 9kg child to the forward facing position is if both head AND feet poke over the edges of the car seat
• A new EU regulation called i-Size was introduced in July 2013 in order to encourage parents to keep children in rearward facing seats for longer, preferably at least 15 months
• The main benefits of keeping children rearward facing is because it offers greater protection for the child�s head, neck and vital organs
• i-Size will work alongside the existing EU regulations for minimum standards of design and safety for car seats and is based on the height rather than weight of the child
• There are already i-Size approved car seats on the market and it is always best to discuss with the retailer as they will be able to advise on the right seat for your baby and your car