Rospa’s child car seats website is given revamp

The website – www.childcarseats.org.uk – is visited by around 4,500 people every day. It has become a trusted source of safety information for anyone needing advice about child car restraints in the UK.

Properly-fitted child car seats are very effective in protecting children in a crash, but the seat must be suitable for the child's weight and size. Rearward-facing baby seats reduce the risk of death and injury in a crash by 90% compared with being unrestrained and forward-facing child seats and booster seats reduce the risk of death and injury by more than 70%. In 2012, 19 children under 12 were killed travelling in cars, almost 200 seriously injured and more than 4,700 hurt.

The website has up-to-date information on types of child car seats, including seats fitted with the car's seatbelts, Isofix seats which have fitting points built into the car and i-Size seats which meet a new child car seat regulation.

It also provides advice on which seat to choose for your child and car, how to use them, the law and things drivers ought to know if they carry other people's children in the car. It is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.

Child car seats are designed and tested for children in different weight ranges and that's what parents should be checking when selecting an appropriate seat. However, the seats need to be fitted properly – research shows many parents struggle to use the right car seat for their child and fit it correctly. Common mistakes include moving the child into a larger car seat too soon, and not securely fitting it which can mean it will not protect a child in a crash.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA's head of road safety, said: 'The importance of properly fitting a child seat cannot be over stated. Make sure it is compatible with the car it will be used in and remember to seek expert help on fitting, perhaps from a retailer who has staff trained in fitting child car seats.'