Coaches and car seats

princessk1

Not sure if iv posted in the right place but hope you can help!

What are the requirements when travelling with a young child on a coach.
I am currently planning a brownie trip to disneyland paris and we are going with by coach.I am taking my 2year old with us but am unsure about what will happen with regards to her car seat as it needs a 3point belt but the majority of coaches iv seen only have lap belts.
Obviously I don't want her out of the car seat,especially as its a long journey but is there anything I can do?
Thanks

Gloomendoom

As far as I know, there is no requirement to use a child seat on a coach. IIRC he law only requires passengers over 14 to wear belts if they are fitted.

Perhaps the coach company could advise. They may have special child seats that will work with lap belts.

Sagaris

Taken from www.childcarseats.org :

Coaches and Minibuses
Coaches and minibuses carrying groups of children on organised trips, including school trips, must provide children with either a lap-belt or a three-point belt on a forward-facing seat. All coaches and minibuses manufactured or first used on or after 1 October 2001 (whether they carry adult or child passengers) must by law be fitted with either three-point seat belts or lap belts on forward or rearward-facing seats.
However, seat belts are no use if they are not worn, so ensure that your child knows that he or she must wear their seat belt at all times, whether you are travelling with them or whether they are travelling on a school trip, for instance.
Seat belts are designed for adults, and the safest option would be for children to use a child seat that is suitable for their weight, when travelling by coach or minibus. Unfortunately, this is rarely possible because it is not practical for the Operator to carry a range of different child seats on their vehicles.
If you are travelling with a baby, keep the baby in a rearward facing baby seat and use the seat belt to secure it, if possible.
If an older child is travelling on an organised trip, ask the organisers about child seats in advance, although it is unlikely that they will be able to provide them. It may be possible to use your normal one if it can be fitted to a coach seat. However some coaches have lap belts and some have lap and diagonal belts, so check whether your child seat is compatible with the type of seat belt fitted on the vehicle. Discuss this with other parents so your child will not be the only one using a child seat.
In most cases, it is likely that the children will have to use the normal seat belt. Although not ideal, this is still far safer than not using any restraint. To maximise the protection provided by the seat belt:

• the belt should be worn as tight as possible
• the lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not the stomach
• the diagonal strap should rest over the child's shoulder, not their neck.

Three-point seat belts (lap and diagonal) provide greater protection than lap belts. However, lap belts are far better than no belt at all.
Do not be tempted to put a seat belt around yourself and a child on your lap; in an impact, your weight would crush the child.

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/carrying_safely/buses_coaches_taxis.htm#Coaches

rev_henry

I'm fairly sure kids under 14 don't have to have any restraint at all on a coach. Bit of an anomaly that one, seems to be the only way you can not wear a belt legally. So do whatever you think safest.

emmell

I wonder if it depends on the coach company. A driver I know was taking a trip of single mothers to Blackpool for the day and refused to take someone who's child did not have a seat. He said it was company policy and he would lose his job if he took the little one without a seat.
ML.

Gloomendoom

I'm pretty sure that the only reason that under 14's don't have to be belted up in buses and coaches by law is that, as kiddies come in all shapes and sizes, the adult belts might do more harm than good and it would be unreasonable to expect an operator to have to cater for everyone.

It is a lot easier an to pass the responsibility on to the parent and just say... "Bring a suitable seat, or the child doesn't get on"