Parents 'still keen to get child car safety advice'

Date: 16/9/2011

Mums and dads in the UK are still showing a "huge demand" for information about how to best keep their kids safe when they are travelling in a vehicle.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) notes that during August there were more than 129,000 visits to its car seat safety website, in the same year that marks the fifth anniversary of a new law about the products being introduced.

According to RoSPA, this is the highest volume of traffic to be recorded since the legislation came in during September 2006.

Under the rules, babies and toddlers under three years old must travel in a car seat that is appropriate for their specific weight, with rear-facing seats banned from being used in the front passenger area if there is an active airbag in place.

In addition, children must sit on the correct booster seat for them until they are 12 years old or taller than 4.5 ft.

Duncan Vernon, RoSPA's Road Safety Manager for England, says: "We urge parents and carers - including grandparents who might drive their grandchildren - to ensure that a child's seat is compatible with all the cars it will be used in, checking with the seat and car manufacturer if necessary and seeking expert help on fitting, perhaps from a retailer."

TRL's (Transport Research Laboratory) Child Safety Centre regularly runs special Child Seat Check days, when parents are invited to bring along the restraint they have in their vehicle to ensure they are using it correctly.

Posted by Sarah Bailey