Policy Statements - Children
in Cars
A driver must ensure that any child under the age of 14,
whilst travelling in a vehicle, front or back, must wear a
seat belt or appropriate child restraint.
The safest way for younger children to travel in cars is in
a child seat that is suitable for their weight and size.
The wearing of such restraints will greatly increase their
chances of survival, should the vehicle they are in be involved
in a crash.
The Problem:
Even in a minor crash, an unrestrained child would be thrown
about inside the vehicle, injuring themselves and others.
They could be thrown from the car through one of the windows.
Click on the links below for advice on keeping your children
safe when they travel in cars.
In a crash at just 30 mph, an unrestrained child would be
thrown forward with a force of between 30 and 60 times their
body weight. They would be thrown about inside the vehicle,
injuring themselves and quite possibly seriously injuring
(or even killing) other people inside the vehicle. They
are also likely to be ejected from the car through one of
the windows.
Never hold a child on your lap. In a crash, the child could
be crushed between your body and part of the car's interior.
Even if you are using a seat belt, the child would be torn
from your arms - you would not be able to hold onto them,
no matter how hard you try.
To be effective, child restraints must be fitted and used
correctly. Surveys have consistently shown that a high proportion
of child restraints are incorrectly fitted, usually for
one or more of these reasons:
- Seat belt too loose
- Seat belt not routed through child seat correctly
- Buckle crunch (buckle resting against part of the child
seat's frame, which means that in a crash it might break
or snap open)
- Handle on baby seat not positioned properly
- Child seat not compatible with car
- Child seat old and in bad condition
- Child too large or too small for the seat they are using.
Some children go through a phase of constantly slipping
out of the child seat harness or seat belt, or releasing
the buckle, during journeys. This is extremely worrying
for many parents and very frustrating - once a child has
learnt how to do this, it is very difficult to stop them.
The good news is that it seems usually to be a phase, which
they grow out of.
The Law:
Summary of the Seat Belt/child restraint-wearing requirement
from 27th February 2007
|
Front Seat |
Rear Seat |
Whose Responsibility |
| Driver |
Must be worn
if fitted |
|
Driver |
| Child
Under 3 Years of Age |
Correct child
restraint must be used |
Correct child
restraint must be used. If one is not available in a
taxi, may travel unrestrained |
Driver |
| Child
from 3rd birthday up to 135 cms in height (or 12th birthday
whichever they reach first) |
Correct child
restraint must be used |
Correct child
restraint must be used where seat belts fitted. Must
use adult belt in a rear seat if correct child restraint
not available -
- in a taxi;
- for a short distance in an unexpected necessity;
- if two occupied child restraints prevent fitting a
third.
|
Driver |
| Child12
or 13, or over 135 cms in height |
Seat belt
(or child restraint) must be worn if fitted |
Seat belt
(or child restraint) must be worn if fitted |
Driver |
| All
Passengers 14 and Over |
Adult seat
belt must be worn if available |
Adult seat
belt must be worn if available |
Passenger |
More Passengers than Seat Belts
If there are not enough seat belts or child restraints in
the car for all the passengers, never put the same seat belt
around two children or around yourself and another passenger
(adult or child). Do not allow a child to use the adult belt
too early. Front seat occupants are killed every year by unbelted
rear seat passengers flying forward in an accident.
The safest option is to only carry the same number of passengers,
as there are seat belts. If necessary, use two cars or make
two journeys for the trip.
Legal Penalties
If you are convicted of failing to wear a seat belt as a driver
or passenger, you could face a fine of up to £500.
As a driver, if you are convicted of failing to ensure that
a child passenger is using an appropriate child restraint
or wearing a seat belt according to the legal requirements
described above, you could face a £30 fixed penalty
notice. If the case goes to court, the maximum fine is £500.
In addition to the legal penalties, failure to wear a seat
belt or failure to ensure that a child passenger uses an appropriate
child restraint or wears a seat belt according to the legal
requirements described above, could affect any claims against
your motor insurance cover.
You could also face civil proceedings for damages, if (for
example) you failed to safely carry someone else's child.
But, of course, the most serious penalty of all could
be that you or a passenger loses their life!
Our Advice:
Never fit a rear-facing baby seat in a seat protected
by an active front airbag. A rear-facing baby seat would
be hit by a front air-bag if it deployed - and could be
thrown up and towards the rear of the vehicle.
Check what the car handbook says before you fit a forward
facing child seat or booster in a seat fitted with an active
air bag and follow the advice. We suggest that you make
sure that the child seat or booster is as far back as possible
from the air bag.
If you are unsure about anything regarding fitting or use
of your car seat, seek advice and if possible get a professional
to check the fitting of child seat for you.
Never modify the seat or adult seatbelt to make it fit.
For further information regarding child car seats and restraints
visit:
www.roadsafetyni.gov.uk
The Road Safety Council and its' committees run a series
of "Child Car Seat" information events across
the province. Check our "Calendar of Events" to
find out where the nearest event to you will be held.
These events are run with the help of the Department of
the Environments Road Safety Education Team and in association
with local retailers who provide "qualified child car
seat fitters". These events are aimed at providing
advice and guidance on selecting and fitting an appropriate
car seat.
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