Guide to Car Seats
One of the first things you do when you buy a car is check that it’s safe – does it have airbags? ABS brakes? Side impact protection? A toughened cage?
Well, buying your baby’s car seat should be no different – safety is priority number one. That’s why all the Silver Cross car seats and travel systems are developed in conjunction with the leading road safety experts, who lose sleep, hair and weekends trying to guarantee you get from A to B with as much TLC as possible
One of the first things you should do before you buy a child car seat is check that it fits your car/s – “Try it before you buy it!” – it is the only way of knowing for sure that the seat fits your car/s and hopefully you will also be shown how to fit it correctly.
John Horsfall is Silver Cross’ leading in-car safety expert, has over twenty years specialist experience in the installation of child car seats. John has developed car seats for Silver Cross that he trusts and believes in, using the latest technological know-how.
John founded Sitsafe In-Car Safety Ltd in 1986 as a result of knowing somebody whose child tragically died in a road traffic accident. Ever since he has been focused on generating awareness of the importance of in-car safety helping parents, local authorities, manufacturers and retailers across the UK.
Here, John answers for you some of the common questions that he receives on a daily basis, in a bid to arm parents with the knowledge they need to buy and correctly install the right car seat for their child to ensure they are safe as they can be on the move.
Do all infant carriers fit all cars?
No, unfortunately this is not the case. Makes and models of cars differ so it is very important when purchasing your new infant carrier that you test the seat in your car/s at a retailer with a specialist knowledge and wide range of child car seats to ensure you purchase the correct model for your car/s - “TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!"
What are the most common installation problems?
The four most common installation problems are; the seat belt is not long enough; the vehicle seat shape is too sculptured; the seat belt buckle is too long; and the position of the seat belt buckle is unsuitable. The car-seat may seem to be correctly and safely installed, but this may not be the case. This is why you should always purchase your infant carrier from a retailer with specialist in-car safety knowledge.
Can you fit an infant carrier on the front passenger seat?
Yes you can unless there is a front passenger seat airbag fitted. You must never fit an infant carrier on a passenger seat fitted with an active airbag, it is extremely dangerous and it is illegal. Even if you can switch the air bag off I would always recommend you contact the vehicle manufacturer to confirm it is okay to fit your infant carrier. If possible fit your infant carrier on the rear vehicle seat which is statistically safer than the front passenger seat.
When can I move my baby from an infant carrier to a forward facing child car seat?
The longer you can use your infant carrier the better. Your baby should travel rearward facing for as long as possible as long as your baby does not exceed the maximum weight of the infant carrier and no part of your baby’s head is exposed above the top of the infant carrier back. Before you move to a forward facing seat your baby has to weigh a minimum of 9kgs (20lbs) and be able to sit up unaided with confidence for a long period of time.
Do I need to replace my infant carrier if it has been involved in an accident?
Yes, child car seats and adult seat belts that were in a vehicle involved in an accident should be replaced. They may have suffered unseen damage not visible to the human eye; this unseen damage could adversely affect the protection and therefore the safety of your child.