31/05/2025
Bump to Booster - UK Car Seat Support âŹď¸
General Information
⢠All children must legally use a car seat until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. A HBB to 150cm is far safest.
⢠There are two different car seat regulations in the UK at the moment - R44 and R129 - R44 seats are being phased out and are no longer being manufactured but some are still available to purchase. R129 is the current legal minimum for all new seats.
⢠Legally, children must remain rear-facing until at least 15 months old when using R129 seats, though 5y+ is the safest age.
⢠Donât rely on age aloneâall car seats are determined by weight and/or height, not age.
⢠Always check the seatâs height and weight limits, as exceeding them can compromise protection in an accident.
⢠Regularly check your childâs height and weight to ensure theyâre still within the limits of their seat.
⢠Growth centiles help predict when your child may outgrow a seat - look at both height and weight on their red book or in our growth chart album.
⢠The best car seat for your child is the one that best fits your individual child and your car.
⢠Not all car seats fit all cars.
⢠Read your vehicle manual for guidance on seat placement, use of seats with support legs and any restrictions on child seat use.
⢠Never use a rear-facing car seat in a front seat with an active airbag - always deactivate. This is perfectly safe if the vehicle manual allows a child seat in the front and the airbag is deactivated.
⢠FF children should avoid the front seat where possible (vans, 2-seater cars, etc.), as airbags and dashboards can be lethal to children. Refer to your vehicle manual for guidance on FF in the front.
⢠When FF in any seat, always ensure you have an adequate survival gap of 55cm. This is generally measured from the childâs nose to the seat in front.
⢠A HBB should be used up to 150cm for optimum safety.
⢠Always ensure your seat is installed as per the manufacturerâs instructions.
⢠ISOFIX and belted seats are equally safe provided they are installed correctly.
⢠ISOFIX bases are not universal - they are often specific to 1 or 2 seats maximum.
⢠Check for a secure fitâthe seat should not move more than 1 inch side to side or front to back.
⢠Replace car seats after an accident, even if thereâs no visible damage.
⢠All car seats can be cleaned, never hose or shower a car seat. Always follow the guidance in your car seat user manual. Never tumble dry any part of the car seat.
⢠If a car seat becomes mouldy, it should be disposed of and replaced.
⢠Never use second-hand car seats unless you are absolutely certain of their history (from family or friends).
⢠Car seats have recommended use periodsâ they are not safe forever. Every seat has a different use period; read your user manual or contact the manufacturer for guidance.
⢠Always secure loose items in the carâunrestrained objects can be dangerous projectiles in a collision. This includes prams, pets, shopping, etc. Do not store items in the rear footwell under the car seat.
⢠Do not modify the seat or add accessories that werenât tested with it, such as third-party inserts, toys, footmuffs or swaddles.
⢠Do not modify, cut or remove any parts of the car seat, or the inserts, to make the child fit better.
⢠0-12y car seats (multistage seats) are a false economy. There are none that are suitable from birth, despite their description. They have low RF limits, often offer a poor fit for toddlers, and have short shells as HBBâs. Donât waste your money!
⢠Always read the car seat manual carefullyâevery seat is different, and correct installation and use is critical for safety.
⢠Keep the manual with the seat (in the storage slot if available) for easy access and reference.
⢠Newborns should be removed from their seat every 30 minutes. This can be increased to every 45 minutes once past the newborn stage. Once out of the infant carrier and in a next stage seat, this can be gradually worked up to 90 minutes at a time.
⢠Whilst children can legally travel in taxis, coaches and minibuses without a car seat, this is not safe and all children should use a car seat where possible.
⢠Educate your children on the importance of sitting properly in their car seat.
Installation and Fit Guidance
⢠Ensure harnesses are snug at the collarboneâyou shouldnât be able to pinch the strap between your fingers.
⢠A gap at the stomach is normal - as long as it is tight at the collarbone.
⢠Ensure the straps are not twisted and are flat to the childâs body.
⢠No bulky or oversized clothing/coats in the car seatâthey compress in a crash, making the harness too loose.
⢠Ensure the correct harness heightâthey should be level or less than 2cm below the shoulders for RF, and level or less than 2cm above for FF.
⢠The headrest should be a 2-finger gap between the childâs shoulder and the bottom of the headrest for HBBs.
⢠Tighten the harnesses every time - clothing and position can affect the fit, so always loosen and retighten every time.
⢠Check fit regularly - babies grow fast, and youâll need to adjust the harness and headrest as they grow.
⢠Use cellular blankets OVER the straps for warmth if needed. The car seat itself acts as a layer so donât overdress.
⢠Always ensure there is a layer of clothing between the childâs skin and harness/seatbelt to avoid seatbelt burns.
⢠Practice installing and uninstalling the seat at home before your baby arrives - itâll help you feel confident when the time comes.
⢠If your car seat has tethers, these are non-optional and must be used at all times.
⢠Many seats now come with visual indicators (like green/red lights) to help ensure correct installation - though green lights donât always mean itâs actually installed correctly.
⢠ISOFIX bases must be making contact with the edge of the vehicle seat, nearest the support leg (this does not apply to the BeSafe self-levelling car seats). If you have a gap at the ISOFIX end, this is normal. The ISOFIX base must be pushed right in so it is firm against the back of the vehicle seat.
⢠An unsupportive seat can cause positional asphyxia, which can be fatal for babies under 6 months. A supportive seat that doesnât put them in a chin-to-chest position which can restrict their airway, is crucial.
⢠Head-flop for a healthy child over 6 months old isnât a safety concern.
⢠Never use an elasticated headband accessory to hold a childâs head back.
⢠It is safest to travel as upright as the child can tolerate.
⢠Never use a towel or blanket underneath a car seat to protect the seats. If your child seat allows, use a dedicated seat protector.
Why Rear Facing
⢠ERF stands for Extended Rear-Facing, where children stay rear-facing beyond 15 monthsâoften up to 4â6 years old and beyond!
⢠Rear-facing is up to 500% safer than forward-facing in a frontal crash, which is the most common serious collision type.
⢠ERF car seats are designed to accommodate children up to 36kg/125 cm, depending on the seat model.
⢠I-Size (R129) regulation promotes RF travel until at least 15 months, though most seats on the market now go to at least 105cm/18kg in RF mode.
⢠Childrenâs neck muscles are underdeveloped, and RF seats reduce strain on the neck and spine during a crash.
⢠In a RF seat, crash forces are spread across the childâs back, the strongest part of the body.
⢠When RF, the car seat absorbs almost all of the energy, not the childâs body.
⢠Swedish safety guidelines recommend rear-facing until at least four years old, and they have some of the lowest child road fatality rates in the world.
⢠Use an ERF seat as long as your child fits within the seatâs limitsâdonât rush to switch to a HBB.
⢠Donât be pressured to FF âbecause everyone else isââprioritise your childâs safety over societal norms.
⢠Legroom is not a safety concernâchildren can comfortably cross or prop their legs in various positions in RF seats. Most dedicated ERF seats have extended legroom positions to allow for extra comfort.
⢠There is no evidence that leg injuries are more common in rear-facing seats - head and neck injuries when FF are far more dangerous. However, leg injuries are common in FF seats as the legs are propelled towards the seat in front.
⢠Rear-facing is not âinconvenientâ or ârestrictiveâ - itâs actually easier to get children in/out of RF seats due to the way a standard car door opens - it requires less space than FF. Even easier than spin seats.
⢠Dedicated ERF seats generally have very low sides for easier in/out, and to allow the child to climb in themselves when old enough. Spin seats are often far more strenuous on the back.
⢠ISOFIX has a 33kg limit (child weight + seat weight = maximum 33kg), therefore most ISOFIX seats arenât suitable for ERF for high centile children.
Seek help from a specialist car seat advisor if you are unsure. High street stores such as Halfords, John Lewis, and Boots are not specialists.
Glossary
⢠ERF = Extended Rear Facing
⢠FF = Forward Facing
⢠HBB = High Backed Booster
⢠RF = Rear Facing
