In car safety

It is important that babies and children are safe and secure when travelling.

You must use restraints which are suitable for both your child and your vehicle. In car safety law is complicated, so the best way to stay on the right side of it is to use the most appropriate restraint for everyone travelling in the car.

All child car seats have to pass a number of tests before they can be sold in the UK. From 9 July 2013, a new standard of car seat came into force. This is called the i-size. The existing R44.04 standard will still be legal and can continue to be used.

i-size seats have more safety features including:

• Improved protection for side and front impact and much better protection of head and neck
• Rearward facing travel is mandatory for children up to 15 months old in i-Size car seats
• i-Size also requires IsoFix, which has less chance of being incorrectly fitted than belted car seats
• i-Size car seats will fit all i-Size cars and almost all cars with IsoFix
• Height-based rather than weight-based

All new vehicles (registered after July 13) will have 'i-Size-ready' seating positions. This means that any i-Size child seat will fit into any i-size position in a car, regardless of make or design. This reduces the risk of the car seat being fitted wrongly. Guidance on car seats will be available for vehicles older than July 2013. If buying a new car or new child car seat, you should ask whether the seat and/or the car is i-Size compatible.

All child car seats should continue to be matched to your child's weight, height and age and be properly fitted within your vehicle.

For more information please access the Good Egg In Car Safety Guide or go to the Good egg car safety website.