There’s a lot to get your head around when becoming a parent for the first time and one of the more confusing aspects of it all is the law around car seats. Part of the reason for the confusion is that the laws have changed over time, and are now very different from when you were a child, or when you had previous children. Getting it wrong in terms of car seats can be both dangerous for your child and result in fines if you’re stopped by the police. Here’s everything you need to know about car seat laws.

What Does the Law Say?

In all parts of the UK, the law says that all children must use an appropriate car seat until they are either 135cm tall or 12 years old, whichever comes first. Other European countries have different recommendations and rules. In terms of the law, “appropriate” means a car seat which has been manufactured to the correct EU standards and thoroughly tested. It also means that the seat has to be suitable for the child’s age, weight and size. Parents also have a legal duty to make sure their car seats are fitted properly into their car. Drivers can be fined up to £500 and get three points on their licence for carrying a child without the correct car seat, even if they’re not the parent of the child in question.

Choosing a Car Seat

There are endless tests and reports to help parents wok out which car seat is best for them. All car seats sold in the UK must come up to a minimum standard. There are however two golden rules when buying car seats. Firstly, never be tempted by a second-hand bargain. It’s impossible to know whether the car seat has been in an accident, or damaged in another way. Secondly, check that it will fit properly into your car. Not all car seats are the same shape and size, so look at the manufacturer’s website to make sure it will fit snugly and securely into your vehicle.

Servicing and MOT Tests

If you are taking your car in for a service or have booked its annual MOT test, then it’s best to remove the car seat when you arrive at the garage. The mechanics are not allowed to remove the seat from the car during the test, which can make testing the seatbelt tricky. This won’t mean a MOT fail, but the fact that the seatbelt couldn’t be tested will be listed on the form as an advisory. Removing the seat before dropping the car off for the test removes this possibility entirely.

Proper Fitting

There’s no point in buying a fantastic new car seat if you don’t know how to fit it properly. Decent retailers will have experts to help you with this, showing you how to position the seat properly and secure it with the seatbelt. The other option is an isofix seat, which connects to the body of the car. Check to see if your vehicle has isofix fittings in place.