What is the law for rear seats for kids

[Rubce]

Hi All

My son is 5 years old and tall for his age. Does anyone on here know what the laws are regarding the use of seatbelts, booster seats and normal kids seats for the rear of a car?

The sunken style of the rear seat of a Stag causes problems with a conventional child seat as it makes them tend to tip over towards the centre of the car. I tried a cushion underneath one side but that was of only limited success.

What dictates when a child can start using a booster seat?

Child seats and booster seats are there to ensure the child's neck is at the correct height when using a 3 point belt. If you are using lap belts do you require a child seat or booster seat at all? I can't see it will serve any purpose.

Has anybody got experience of fitting harness style belts in the rear and them with the child sitting directly onto the seat?

Thoughts please

Bruce

[Rubce]

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Anybody got experience of these harnesses?

http://www.reflexsafety.co.uk/sncr_4.html

Thanks

Bruce

[dasadrew]

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AA is probably a good starting point for factual info:

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/child_safety/carseats.html

[Rubce]

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Interesting site. It states that at five years he is now old enough to use a booster seat. However, I will still have the problem of how to stop it tipping when positioned on the sunken rear Stag seat.

Bruce

[iani]

imported post

Rubce wrote:

Interesting site. It states that at five years he is now old enough to use a booster seat. However, I will still have the problem of how to stop it tipping when positioned on the sunken rear Stag seat.

Bruce

A towel underneath seems to help.

In

[rogerk]

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When my children were young i took my car along to IN CAR SAFTEY at Milton Keynes who tried many different seats and bosters until i found one that suits.

If you want chapter and verse on the use of child seats I'll see if I can dig it out when I get to work

rogerk

[Guest]

imported post

Bruce

I have a britax front/rear facing seat (facing forward) fitted using the rear seat belt, this is for our "little un" who is 15 months old, luke who is soon to be 6 and is tall for his age, we use a booster seat, they work fine. Although if I have our youngest in the car I don't take the roof off because he sits quite high. Will be looking to change his seat this spring tho!

Jason

[Wendy]

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We have a similar problem with our nearly-4-year-old daughter - she's in a highback booster which leans in towards the middle of the car. I found it helped a bit to position it away from the side of the car and plug the LH seatbelt into the RH socket. It only buys a few inches, but moves the seat away from the high edge of the Stag's back seat.

Interestingly though, when the Stag rear seatbelt is run through the guide on her seat to put it at the right height for her shoulder, it actually has to go up slightly, so I think she'd be fine on just a booster seat at not quite 4.

I do like the look of that harness though - I guess the people who make it would be able to advise on its legality for your son.