If youve just welcomed or are waiting to welcome your first child into the world then chances are that youre going to need to get to grips with the world of child car seats rather quickly if you havent done so already.
Getting hold of kids car seats before your baby is born is always a good idea as youll require one from the moment that your baby is ready to leave hospital.
Its important not to underestimate the role that a childrens car seat plays in keeping them safe, but there remains much ignorance around the topic.
Some studies have found that as little as one in five parents is aware that it is in fact illegal for a child aged under 12 or weighing under 36kg to travel in a car without a child seat.
Its also said that many parents lack an understanding of which child seats need to be purchased during the different stages of their childs life.
With a little research, parents can cater for their childrens in-car safety efficiently and adequately.
The Stages Explained
There are essentially five groups that your child will progress through before they no longer need the support of a child seat.
Starting off with group 0+ (group 0 has been more or less phased out), your child will not be legally permitted to travel with the support of a seatbelt alone until they reach the age of 12 or a weight of 36kg.
Starting with a rear-facing infant carrier, your child will then need to progress onto a front-facing harness seat before being promoted to a booster seat. Once they reach 22kg, they may be supported by a booster cushion if they or you would prefer this.
Emphasising Safety
When youre looking for child car seats, it can be a good idea to opt for trusted brands, but its important not to simply assume that these seats will always be of exceptional quality.
Many parents and children have found branded seats to be of inadequate quality, so it does pay to head online and read a wide range of reviews before settling upon a product.
Its also important not to assume that just because a childrens car seat is expensive that this is indicative of high quality.
Again, you should shop around and try to get a consensus on the quality on offer before you commit to anything.
The older your child becomes, the more likely they are to want to have a say upon the seat that you purchase, but its important that safety is always made a priority over style.
Weight and Height Over Age
Weight is far more important than age when it comes to advancing through the groups of childrens car seats.
If a child moves onto the next group before it is ready, safety can be seriously compromised. Therefore, whilst age is used as a guideline, they should never move onto the next group of seats until they have reached the required weight or height.
Parents should also look for easy installation when they are looking for seats, as many accidents have occurred after complex installations have been attempted in haste.
Getting hold of kids car seats before your baby is born is always a good idea as youll require one from the moment that your baby is ready to leave hospital.
Its important not to underestimate the role that a childrens car seat plays in keeping them safe, but there remains much ignorance around the topic.
Some studies have found that as little as one in five parents is aware that it is in fact illegal for a child aged under 12 or weighing under 36kg to travel in a car without a child seat.
Its also said that many parents lack an understanding of which child seats need to be purchased during the different stages of their childs life.
With a little research, parents can cater for their childrens in-car safety efficiently and adequately.
The Stages Explained
There are essentially five groups that your child will progress through before they no longer need the support of a child seat.
Starting off with group 0+ (group 0 has been more or less phased out), your child will not be legally permitted to travel with the support of a seatbelt alone until they reach the age of 12 or a weight of 36kg.
Starting with a rear-facing infant carrier, your child will then need to progress onto a front-facing harness seat before being promoted to a booster seat. Once they reach 22kg, they may be supported by a booster cushion if they or you would prefer this.
Emphasising Safety
When youre looking for child car seats, it can be a good idea to opt for trusted brands, but its important not to simply assume that these seats will always be of exceptional quality.
Many parents and children have found branded seats to be of inadequate quality, so it does pay to head online and read a wide range of reviews before settling upon a product.
Its also important not to assume that just because a childrens car seat is expensive that this is indicative of high quality.
Again, you should shop around and try to get a consensus on the quality on offer before you commit to anything.
The older your child becomes, the more likely they are to want to have a say upon the seat that you purchase, but its important that safety is always made a priority over style.
Weight and Height Over Age
Weight is far more important than age when it comes to advancing through the groups of childrens car seats.
If a child moves onto the next group before it is ready, safety can be seriously compromised. Therefore, whilst age is used as a guideline, they should never move onto the next group of seats until they have reached the required weight or height.
Parents should also look for easy installation when they are looking for seats, as many accidents have occurred after complex installations have been attempted in haste.