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How
to choose a car seat
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The most important part of making sure your car seat is used to its full potential is to ensure that it is fitted correctly. For information on how to fit your car seat click here…
Below is a list of areas to check to ensure that you child car seat is effective:
Make sure that the seat belt is not too loose and that it is nice and tight
Make sure that the seat belt is routed correctly through the child car seat
'Buckle Crunch' is the most common problem. This is when the buckle of the three-point seat belt is resting against the frame of the child car seat. In a crash the buckle might break or snap causing the child car seat to come loose. With buckle crunch it maybe that the seat belt is not the correct length for the child car seat. The way to resolve this is to either have your seat belts changed or to change car seats.
Make sure that you know that the car seat is compatible with your car. The way to do this is to consult car seat fitting guides such as www.britax.co.uk, or phone your chosen retailer and they will be able to ask the manufacture. Maxi-Cosi and Bebe Confort do not provide a list of compatible cars as it is constantly updated so in this case you should ask your retailer to contact the manufacturer to ask whether your car is compatible. Alternatively you can always check the seat fits the car yourself. Check the seat belt, buckle crunch, check that the seat doesn't move too much and pull on the seat to see how secure it is. Your seat should not tip or wobble.
If you are using the car seat in more than one car, ensure that it fits all the cars you use, or alternatively you may want different car seats for different cars.
Do not choose a car seat that you know to be old or in a bad condition. Some older car seats may not pass today's testing.
babyworld.co.uk, many heath professionals and ROSPA do not recommend buying a second hand car seat even from a friend or relative. This is because you will never know the seats true history, even a small prang that the seller has forgotten to mention may render the seat ineffective.
Car seats are like helmets. You should always replace them once they have been in an accident no matter how slight.
Make sure that your child is within the correct weight bracket for the car.
Never modify the seat or belt yourself to make it fit.
The child car seat should be resting firmly on the car seat with little or no sideways or forward movement.
Your child car seat must meet the latest safety standard which is ECE R44.04 - look for the E mark
Make sure the car seat fits - if it moves more than 5cm to either side or backwards and forwards then it does not fit. A car seat that does not fit could slip out of the seat belt altogether in an accident resulting in serious consequences.
Never place anything underneath a child in a car seat such as an extra cushion or they may not be protected by their seat belt.
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