KNOW THE NEW LAW

New EU child safety protection laws have come into force making it compulsory for all children to travel in the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion.

Where safety belts have been fitted they must be worn

Children under 3 years of age must not travel in a car or goods vehicle (other than a taxi) unless restrained in the correct child seat

Children aged 3 years or over who are under 150cms in height and weighing less than 36 kilograms (i.e. generally children up to 11/12 years old) must use the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles

Children over 3 years of age must travel in a rear seat in vehicles not fitted with safety belts

Rearward-facing child car seats must NEVER be used in the front passenger seat of cars with an active airbag

Child car seats must be in accordance with EU or United Nations- Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) standards

Drivers have a legal responsibility to ensure passengers aged under 17 use the correct seat, booster seat, booster cushion or seatbelt

Ensuring a child is properly restrained in a child car seat can reduce injuries

by a factor of 90-95% for rear-facing seats and 60% for forward-facing seats*.

*Source: AA Motoring Trust

For more useful tips on car seats go to:

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Child-Safety-in-Cars/

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road-safety/car-seat-laws/

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/countries/eire.htm