Re-forward facing child’s car seats.

joe134

Hi Guys, can anyone please confirm the law about forward facing car child seats.
My great grandson is 9 months old, and getting too big for his carry cot type rear facing one.
I have looked on Gov.uk website, and it states that children have to be rear facing until 15 months old.
There are two types, height and weight spec.
I have been told that depending on his weight, it can be earlier, but that is not mentioned on the Gov website!
Appreciate if anyone can advise if he can sit in a forward facing seat, before he is 15 months old?
:beer:

pinkshoes

joe134 wrote: »

Hi Guys, can anyone please confirm the law about forward facing car child seats.
My great grandson is 9 months old, and getting too big for his carry cot type rear facing one.
I have looked on Gov.uk website, and it states that children have to be rear facing until 15 months old.
There are two types, height and weight spec.
I have been told that depending on his weight, it can be earlier, but that is not mentioned on the Gov website!
Appreciate if anyone can advise if he can sit in a forward facing seat, before he is 15 months old?
:beer:

No. They need to be rear facing until 15 months now.

(But unlikely you will be stopped and asked if they are that huge...)

Is his head already over the top of the rear facing one at 9 months?? Legs being squashed doesn't count. As long as the head isn't over the top then it is fine.

Lots of car seats rear face until age 4.

FreddieFrugal

pinkshoes wrote: »

No. They need to be rear facing until 15 months now.

Only if they're using an I-Size seat. Which is height based.
If the child is in one of those then they cannot be forward facing til after 15 months.

If they're in a child seat which is weight based then the minimum and maximum weight ratings apply. So a child CAN be forward facing from 9kg in a group 1 seat.

Although it's safer if they're rearward facing. Ideally buy a multistage seat that allows you to keep them rear facing for as long as possible.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

It's confusing because there are two regulations currently running alongside each other. But the older one will eventually be removed

I kept my DS rear facing for as long as i could - until the chair height was extended to a point where it could no longer fit in the car without touching the front passenger seat. Many small family size cars (Focus etc.) would struggle to fit a rear facing car seat up to 15 months if you also needed to carry other passengers. At least if the seat is at all reclined.

sheepy21

500% safer rear facing to at least four years! Forward facing you risk internal decapitation and the child is much more likely to die in an accident

joe134

FreddieFrugal wrote: »

Only if they're using an I-Size seat. Which is height based.
If the child is in one of those then they cannot be forward facing til after 15 months.

If they're in a child seat which is weight based then the minimum and maximum weight ratings apply. So a child CAN be forward facing from 9kg in a group 1 seat.

Although it's safer if they're rearward facing. Ideally buy a multistage seat that allows you to keep them rear facing for as long as possible.

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

It's confusing because there are two regulations currently running alongside each other. But the older one will eventually be removed

I kept my DS rear facing for as long as i could - until the chair height was extended to a point where it could no longer fit in the car without touching the front passenger seat. Many small family size cars (Focus etc.) would struggle to fit a rear facing car seat up to 15 months if you also needed to carry other passengers. At least if the seat is at all reclined.

hi Guys, thanks for replies, much appreciated.
Great grandson is named Freddie:rotfl:

(9kg in a group 1 seat. .?) 9 months old.

This is what I read, and could not find it again ?
Sure it was on Gov site, only two weeks ago, now gone, on the same as your link ?
That is what I was basing my question on.
Unless they pulled that bit, as you stated.
He is ok head wise at present, his legs are up the back of the seat though.
Some seats say from (9 months )onwards, group 1, forward facing, 9-18 kg.? Which confused me.
Will probably get a 1 -3, when he is 15 months old., see how he grows till then, he is spurting up.

I always keep the front passenger seat, butted up against his seat!
Will not compromise with his safety.
:beer:
2 door Corsa, gonna change to 4 door soon.

GwylimT

Why are you putting the vehicle seat against the car seat?

joe134

GwylimT wrote: »

Why are you putting the vehicle seat against the car seat?

leave a few of inches gap for seat belt tension.
Extra precaution, probably not nescesary!
Why,what is wrong with doing so ?
Just viewed Halfords fitting rear and forward seats.
All weight based.
0. Rear facing up to 10kg
1. Front facing 9-18kg.

No mention of age or 15 months, for group 1?
My grandson is 8 kg, @9 months.
So they are showing the child s seat faces forward at 9 kg and above, and do not mention anything about child’s age at all, or whether the direction is optional.
Rather confusing !

GwylimT

joe134 wrote: »

leave a few of inches gap for seat belt tension.
Extra precaution, probably not nescesary!
Why,what is wrong with doing so ?
Just viewed Halfords fitting rear and forward seats.
All weight based.
0. Rear facing up to 10kg
1. Front facing 9-18kg.

No mention of age or 15 months, for group 1?
My grandson is 8 kg, @9 months.
So they are showing the child s seat faces forward at 9 kg and above, and do not mention anything about child’s age at all, or whether the direction is optional.
Rather confusing !

You’re risking putting pressure on a seat where it shouldn’t experience pressure. A correctly fitted seat that used a belt rather than isofix does not move at all, if you require a couple of inches for tension your Grandson is being placed in a seat that isn’t adequately secured.

The law changed before your Grandson was even born in 2015.

The below is from gov.uk

“They must be rear-facing until your child is over 15 months old. Your child can use a forward-facing child car seat when they’re over 15 months old.” So very clear indeed.

sheramber

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

It depends on what kind of seat you have- height based I-size seats or weight based seat.

Height-based seats

Height-based seats are known as !!!8216;i-Size!!!8217; seats. They must be rear-facing until your child is over 15 months old. Your child can use a forward-facing child car seat when they!!!8217;re over 15 months old.


Weight-based seats
The seat your child can use (and the way they must be restrained in it) depends on their weight.

Only EU-approved weight-based child car seats can be used in the UK. These have a label showing a capital !!!8216;E!!!8217; in a circle and !!!8216;ECE R44!!!8217;.

You may be able to choose from more than one type of seat in the group for your child!!!8217;s weight.

Child!!!8217;s weight Group Seats
0kg to 10kg 0 Lie-flat or !!!8216;lateral!!!8217; baby carrier, rear-facing baby carrier, or rear-facing baby seat using a harness
0kg to 13kg 0+ Rear-facing baby carrier or rear-facing baby seat using a harness
9kg to 18kg 1 Rear- or forward-facing baby seat using a harness or safety shield

joe134

GwylimT wrote: »

You!!!8217;re risking putting pressure on a seat where it shouldn!!!8217;t experience pressure. A correctly fitted seat that used a belt rather than isofix does not move at all, if you require a couple of inches for tension your Grandson is being placed in a seat that isn!!!8217;t adequately secured.

The law changed before your Grandson was even born in 2015.

The below is from gov.uk

!!!8220;They must be rear-facing until your child is over 15 months old. Your child can use a forward-facing child car seat when they!!are over 15 months So very clear indeed.

perhaps you should inform Halfords et.al of that.
It is not very clear at all.

This is from their site for a rear or forward facing seat for sale.
Halfords Grp 0, 1, 2 Child Car Seat Extra Info

2 year guarantee
From birth to 7 years
Birth - 25kgs
Reversible insert
Adjustable headrest
Washable covers
Age shown is a guideline only
All Halfords seats are crash tested to the highest standards for your child!!!8217;s safety

The Gov site states there are two types, but, does not mention anything about the weight based ones, 15 months applying to the weight based ones, as has been shown on here, twice., by the last post ,

I think you may be mistaken, that is why I asked the question in the first place.
My seat does not interfere with the child seat, there is inches between them., plenty of room.
The new Vw golf has a warning about the rear belts coming undone, and a probable recall,at the buckle,and it probably is not the only one!
Nothing is infalable in cars.

FreddieFrugal

joe134 wrote: »

I always keep the front passenger seat, butted up against his seat!

GwylimT wrote: »

Why are you putting the vehicle seat against the car seat?

joe134 wrote: »

My seat does not interfere with the child seat, there is inches between them., plenty of room.

Can see why there's confusion joe as you've said that the seat is butted up but also has inches of space.


As said - there are two standards currently along side each other. The 15 month rule applies to I-Size seats only - at the moment.

You want to keep them rear facing for as long as possible. Childrens legs are very flexible - you don't need to worry about leg room. It's only if their head is above the top level of the seat OR their weight is reaching the maximum weight for the seat that they need to move up -

I've got a 0 - group 3 car seat so lasts from birth to 12 years and can be rearward facing up to 18kg (roughly 4 years old)

Although as I said, I can't actually fit it in my car rearward facing anymore with it adjusted to his height.