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Cornwall Council checks reveal seven out of ten child car seats “not fitted correctly” (20 April 2017)

Date: 20/04/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Cornwall Council checks reveal seven out of ten child car seats “not fitted correctly”

Cornwall Trading Standards and Community Fire and Road Safety officers have found that seven out of ten child car seats were not fitted correctly when examined at free car seat safety checks throughout Cornwall.

An estimated 27% of parents say that they are confused about car seat safety – trained road safety officers carried out car seat safety checks, with officers from Trading Standards giving child product safety advice at events throughout Cornwall recently.

They checked 108 car seats carrying babies and primary school-aged children – and in seven out of ten cases, there was at least one issue, including headrests not being raised, or being removed, resulting in the child seat leaning forward and creating a weak point should impact occur.

Checks also revealed twisted seatbelts and/or harnesses which, as a result, might not work properly or might lock and also cause injury.

Other issues included loose harnesses not holding infants securely and front seats touching rear child seats – safety officers say drivers should ensure that a hand can be placed between the front car seat and rear baby seat to protect all passengers.

In some cases, the handle position on a baby car seat was incorrect – these should be upright and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Jane Tomlinson from Cornwall Council Trading Standards said:

“Your child can travel safely by following a few basic guidelines – always buy new from a reputable supplier, as they are guaranteed to be made to the strict European-wide safety standards, and UK law legally-approved E-marked (Capital E in a circle) car seat standard, which have been the subject of rigorous crash safety testing.

“Many retailers will check it is suitable for your child's weight and size and show you how to correctly fit it in your car for the first time.

“Buying a second-hand child car seat – including those often sold as part of a travel system – is not recommended, as the instructions are often missing.

“In addition, you do not know if it has sustained an impact or been in a collision, resulting in internal damage that is not visible to the naked eye. Car seats must never be used in a side-facing seat – and if you use the car's front passenger seat, then the vehicle’s airbag must be turned off.

“The law regarding booster seats for children changed on 1 March 2017. The new rules don’t affect existing models of seats or cushions – and it doesn’t mean that they are illegal – so parents who already own and use backless boosters will still be permitted to use them.

“However, our checks revealed that one in eight parents of under-12’s were not using any type of car or booster seat to transport their children, which is against the law and could result in a fatality.

“Alarmingly, this included a baby in the front seat of a car with no car seat and only secured by an adult seatbelt.”


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