cossiebri
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 06:12 PM |
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Booster seats
Now the law has changed about children travelling in cars,i.e booster seats for the under 12's, what about our type of cars that cannot fit
booster seats as they are too wide?(the booster seats not the car!)
we can't cut them down as they are then not fit for purpose/designed to work that way, etc
idea's , clarification please ?
[Edited on 7/2/07 by cossiebri]
If it doesn't fit MODIFY it!!
Cheers BriF
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Hellfire
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 07:03 PM |
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It's an interesting point and also a difficult one I guess.
The reason this law was introduced in the first place is because children not using booster seats or booster cushions are more likely to be injured by
the seatbelt in a crash. Seatbelts are designed for adults 5ft and taller. As children are smaller, a seatbelt alone will sit high across their tummy
and cut across the neck. Using a booster seat or booster cushion, however, redirects the seatbelt to fit low across the top of the legs and off the
neck, therefore reducing injuries.
However, our cars are somewhat different in that they usually have four point harnesses fitted instead of a three point seatbelt so are much safer and
by design are more like a conventional restraint that you'd find on a child seat.
From a legal viewpoint, I've no idea but would be interested to know.
Phil
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Guinness
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 07:15 PM |
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I let my 6 year old son ride about in the Indy.
I have Triton's Wizards Hat seats, with the removable inserts. Mark very kindly sent me a spare base for the passenger side (for nowt too!). I
then got a 3" block of polystyrene, cut it to the right shape, glued it to the insert and covered it in 1" foam and wrapped it in vinyl to
match the other seat pads.
This brings Ben's head up so he can just about see over the scuttle, makes the lap belts tight and his shoulders somewhere near the harness
holes.
For me, that is a pretty good solution. I have a custom made, well fitting booster seat which allows me to take him to school / see friends.
If I got stopped by the plod with Ben / the booster seat in, then I'll argue the point. I'm capable of building an entire car, so I think
I can manage a booster seat!
True it's not EU tested etc etc.
Cheers
Mike
P.S. This was entirely my own design, if you follow this advice it may be wrong and you do so at your own risk
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Peteff
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 07:55 PM |
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How tall and how old?
There is a proviso that short journeys and emergencies are excused as are taxis.
http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/index.htm
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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pdw709
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 09:14 PM |
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I'm also keen to know what the law is on this matter. My six year old fits my 4 point harness fine, but I'm not sure what would happen if
I ever got stopped by the police!
Phil
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TangoMan
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| posted on 7/2/07 at 10:39 PM |
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I tried to find a child seat for under threes that would fit mine but no joy.
My girl would love the wind in your hair feel during summer but the law won't allow it unless I find a very narrow seat..
Summer's here!!!!
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DarrenW
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| posted on 8/2/07 at 10:50 AM |
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Im sure when i read the guidelines they related more specifically to cars with 3 point belts. i also noted several exclusions that made it a nonesense
such as exclusions for taxis and emergency travel. There was no definition relating to 'emergency'. We often help each other out by taking
each others kids to school etc. I have now bought a cheap (£12 from Halfords) booster seat to keep in the boot, but when i dont have it im sure its
not totally compulsory.
I would suspect there are so many grey areas that policing it is almost impossible. However it has served to make people think and apply some common
sense in this matter.
Ref my Mac#1, i allow my 4 yr old daughter to ride with me on short journeys and usually sit her on a cusion (for comfort and height) and ensure the
harness is correctly adjusted for her.
Has anyone been quizzed by thepolice or prosecuted yet under the new ruling?
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DarrenW
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| posted on 8/2/07 at 11:30 AM |
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On reading the law guidelines again i cannot see the comment ref 3 point belts. I have wrote an email to my local office to ask for clarification.
When you read the details of the short journeys exclusion it does state that the journey would have to be proven to be unexpected and therefore not
avoided with forward planning (school runs for eg are not within the exclusion).
Too many grey areas and exemptions for exclusions etc for my liking. I wonder if i get a reply to the email?
Maybe others could similarly email their local offices. If nothing else it would flag a problem with the application of the law.
I have just had a very fast response from my local road safety officer. Cant offer immediate advice but is looking into it and will respond asap. I
have tried to say that booster seats main job is to raise a child up so that the diagonal belt doesnt run across the neck, and that a 4 point belt
doesnt do this. Ref the booster seat offering some side support ive explained the 4 point harness does this for free when correctly adjusted and
tightened. Ive suggested that where 4 point harnesses are used a booster seat isnt required, lets wait and see what the reply is.
[Edited on 8/2/07 by DarrenW]
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DarrenW
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| posted on 9/2/07 at 11:53 AM |
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Still no reply from RSO. ive also emailed totalkitcar to see if they have ever written any articles.
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RoadkillUK
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| posted on 15/2/07 at 06:06 PM |
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Have a read of THIS, it seems that the police don't want to .. police it.
Roadkill - Lee
www.bradford7.co.uk
Latest Picture (14 Sept 2014)
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DarrenW
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| posted on 9/3/07 at 04:03 PM |
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Well it took a while but i finally got an official response from the Dept of Transport.
The bottom line kids 3 and over in the front seat of a car (and ours are considered front seats) must use an appropriate Child seats/boosters which
must be type-approved to the UN ECE 44.03 or later standard.
There is no concession or exemption for cars with harnesses, narrow seats etc. Ive explored it with several counter proposald and questions and the
response came back the same each time.
Bottom line - if the appropriate seat wont fit then the child cant travel in the car.
Im happy to forward the chain of emails if you would like to read them.
Regards,
Darren.
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Hellfire
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| posted on 10/3/07 at 08:54 PM |
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Darren, I'd be interested to read em. E-mail address on U2U
Phil
[Edited on 10-3-07 by Hellfire]
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DarrenW
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| posted on 11/3/07 at 06:23 PM |
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No probs Phil, ill email it later.
Its opened my eyes up to a legal minefield concerning carrying kids in cars in general. i now carry a spare booster in case we take our friends child
to school.
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