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As you may have seen in the news, the new child car seat rules came into force on 18 September.
The New Rules
Booster seats are now compulsory for kids under 12 who are less than 4ft 5in tall, and drivers who break the rules can be given an on the spot fine of £30 or fined up to £500 in court. See the Department for Transport’s website for a full rundown on the new law.
How do I know if a booster seat is compliant?
Boosters must meet the “UN ECE Regulation 44.03” standard. To check this look for a label showing an "E" and "44.03" or ".03".
The label should also show the weight range of child it's designed for. If you need help, the retailer should be able to help you chose the right one.
What's this hunt about?
So as many are now in the market for new car seats, I thought I'd tap MoneySavers' collective knowledge find the best value for money deals around. Of course the primary concern here is about safety as much as the cash, and it's important to check that your booster seat is compliant.
Sadly there's huge demand at the moment - so its important to be aware stock are low.
What this hunt isn't about?
I'm aware there is some disquiet about these new rules, however this isn't the place for that discussion - this thread is about how to comply cheaply and safely.
Martin
REPORT YOUR BEST FINDS BY CLICKING REPLY
And do include where you found the booster seat, the cost, the age of the children and a web link if possible.
Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
Whilst the safest option is a full seat with head protection etc if you are going to purchase a booster cushion (as opposed to one with back & sides) it is well worth getting one with the strap that holds the top part of the seat belt in the correct position (i.e away from your child's neck). This link http://www.kiddicare.com/invt/gracbo...?No=0&N=365+27
shows the strap that I am referring to.
This one is available online for under £15 although many places are now sold out and taking pre-orders for next delivery. My local independent retailer still has them for just under £13 so may be worth checking local stockists of car seats if you need one asap! Whichever make you go for the strap with the "D" ring to hold the belt is really worth having to ensure the belt is not in a dangerous position too close to your child's neck. Most good makes offer this.
Last edited by apples1; 18-09-2006 at 6:41 PM..
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This is typical - I gave my 7 year old daughters seat away a few months ago because our car seats raise up in the car so she is at a safe height - However the law does not consider this and I now have to buy a new one because I haven't got the heart to ask for mine back!!!!! AAARRRGGGHHHHHHH Have also tried every shop and they are all aklmost double the price they used to be and sold out ARARRaaggghhhhagain
Is that the booster cushion and what are they like Tom? I need one for ours and i was going to buy a booster cushion a fortnight ago from halfords for £10.99 and then i forgot and now they've sold out!!! Our 6 year old only has to grow 3" before he doesn't need one. he'll grow that quite soon so i don't want to spend a bloomin fortune on one!
Netto, phone customer services . number on netto website most of them seem to have sold out , no doubt on e bay next week. might save you a journey wasted.
I can't find seats anywhere in the high street at the moment! Argh! I too gave away 3 of these about Christmas time
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I'm not sure how competitive they are on children's seats but they seem to have some in stock and I have always been happy ordering from them in the past.
This is typical - I gave my 7 year old daughters seat away a few months ago because our car seats raise up in the car so she is at a safe height - However the law does not consider this and I now have to buy a new one because I haven't got the heart to ask for mine back!!!!! AAARRRGGGHHHHHHH Have also tried every shop and they are all aklmost double the price they used to be and sold out ARARRaaggghhhhagain
4. What about rear facing seats in the back of estate cars, or small seats with forward facing seats in sports cars?
Some estate cars have rear facing seats in the luggage compartment for use by children, and some 2 + 2 sports cars or convertibles have small rear seats. Child seats/boosters to the required UN ECE Regulation 44.03 type approval must be used on these seats. However, it may be that such seats are certified to UN ECE 44.03 type approval standards which means that they are in effect type-approved child seats/booster seats themselves and therefore a separate child seat/booster would not be needed. If a seat complies with the type-approval standard, it will have an "E" label, with "44.03" or ".03" and the weight range of the child for which it is designed. You may need to check with the car handbook, or the vehicle manufacturer, whether the seat is so approved.
Last edited by MSE Martin; 19-09-2006 at 11:48 PM..
Boots.com have some of the seats in stock, but all booster cushions out of stock at present. Its worth looking here if you are looking for a seat as if you spend over £50 they are offering 500 points!
I read a previous article regarding Ebay and allternatives such as http://www.freecycle.org/ So I joined. Excellent site. I gave away a booster seat as my first post (just before I realised there was a law change)
So you may be able to pick up a free one if you are lucky. Give it a go. Ps. loads more than just booster seats on there. and its all free.
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Ive just ordered a boaster seat for my daughter from lx direct. it should have cost me 16.99 plus 3.50 delivery but was given a 15.00 voucher for being a new customer. total to pay 5.49, although there is a 3 week wait im sure if i got fined for this i could argue that it was on order.
so if you go to vouchercodes.com and click on lx direct and you will find all
codes for this offer and more there.
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Our local Argos (Preston) had some booster seats in this morning for £8.99each, but only for collection, have just reserved 2 for a friend as she is at her wits end driving around only to be told that they are all out of stock!
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps. Take care over copyright. Use excerpts and links rather than copying long text. This site asserts copyright on all comments posted on the board.
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.
Great Kids' Car Seat Hunt
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