Advice needed - baby car seat questions (merged)

patchwork_cat

Yes, I am sure that there is an exemption on occasional journeys. After school playdates would be a nightmare with everyone having 4 boosters just in case otherwise!

I am pretty sure that the law is a booster, not just a cushion or a seatbelt adjuster. Check this out

HappySad

looks like this seat is not OK then.

molerat

Where does the law mention booster seats. The law mentions approved safety restraints for children up to 135cm / 12 years. That means a restraint approved to ECE R44/03, suitable for the weight and height of the child and fitted in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. This restraint is approved so there may not be a need for a booster .... see the fitting instructions.

patchwork cat, the after school play date is not covered as an exception but a third child over 3 may travel unrestrained in the back.

consultant31

I have taken this from the Dept. for Transport website:-

Seat belt adjusters are comfort devices and not safety devices. You should check carefully on the packaging what the manufacturer says about them and their intended use. An adjuster would only be acceptable instead of a type-approved child seat or booster if it s labelled as type-approved to the UN ECE Regulation 44.03 (or later eg 44.04). A claim that a product has been crash tested to the standard is not the same as saying it has type-approval as a child restraint.

I paid £25 for two of these for my daughter's car and found out later that they are "crash tested" to the EU standard, and therefore no good under the law for children to use regularly.

molerat

I will stand corrected then. Very misleading of them on a safety issue. So I will not buy one on principle. Their web page should state that it is not type approved.

HappySad

Thanks for this info. I was thinking that this device would be great to have in your bag for when you get a lift from someone or a taxis. So it looks like I will see if there are any portable car seat boster seats that I can take with me when going out and about and there is a good chance of getting a lift int he car by someone.

jellyhead

maybe they should make self inflating ones, like the baby highchair booster seats?

consultant31

They do make blow-up booster seats:-

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/BruHome/BruFeeding/BruFeedingHighchairs/BruFeedingHighchairsBoosters/348651

(sorry, can't do links )

molerat

consultant31 wrote:

They do make blow-up booster seats:-

http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/BruHome/BruFeeding/BruFeedingHighchairs/BruFeedingHighchairsBoosters/348651

(sorry, can't do links )

This is not for in car use, it is for a chair.

MoneyMan

Hi, I'm looking at purchasing a Global Travel System, see link http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/BruOrFindUsing/BruAZOfBrands/BruTravelBRUIN/714224?ref=Search

I have been advised that the car seat needs to be tested in my car, however the car I have now will be different to the one I have when the baby is born.
Do all car seats need to be tested in cars before they are purchased? Or are they a standard fitting?