Car seats - Page 2

jambutty · 30-09-2006, 17:41

Much obliged for the pointer Neil. It certainly clarifies things.

I also notice that the responsibility of a 14 years old or older for wearing a seat now rests with the passenger. It used to be the driver. About time too.

WillowTheWhisp · 30-09-2006, 18:03

The bit which seems totally incongruous (taken from the Government site) is:

"Children under 3 years may travel in the rear of a taxi unrestrained if no child restraint is available."

A loose toddler in the back of a taxi would seem to be more of a danger than one with a lap belt.

Neil · 30-09-2006, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

I also notice that the responsibility of a 14 years old or older for wearing a seat now rests with the passenger. It used to be the driver. About time too.

Thats the bit Less refered too. He must not have noticed the last column in the table.

LenWeekes · 30-09-2006, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Height restrictions might not apply after the age of 14 according to this table:-

Adult passengers (ie 14 years and over) Seat belt MUST be worn if available.

The main table can be found here:-

Think Road Safety website

I just wonder who has decided to define 'adult' as 14?

It's limited to age 14 to exempt Simon Cowell.

Gayle · 01-10-2006, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

The best way round the booster seat rule is to make the kids walk to school.

That is not the only journey that they make in the car. Wherever possible we do walk to school but I really can not force the kids to walk to Darwen to see their Grandma or over to Oldham so they can play with my friend's daughter!

Neil · 01-10-2006, 09:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

That is not the only journey that they make in the car. Wherever possible we do walk to school but I really can not force the kids to walk to Darwen to see their Grandma or over to Oldham so they can play with my friend's daughter!

They could also catch a bus without any form of child restraint what so ever

. I am amazed that all new cars have had to have rear seatbelts since 1985 but, there was no such requirement for busses. Why not? All passenger seatbelts should be suitable for both adult and children passenger's. It's not hard to design a seat belt that is adjustable in that way, you can, as I have linked too above buy after market ones. Come on Government types, pull your finger out and introduce some sensible regulations for cars.

jambutty · 01-10-2006, 09:33

As I stated earlier this booster seat law has been ill thought out and as Neil points out, isn’t consistent. Although I understand that all new coaches have a seat belt for each seat but passengers are not obliged to use them.

For me this is just another example of the Labour government telling us what we should do and how we should do it.

Neil · 01-10-2006, 09:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

For me this is just another example of the Labour government telling us what we should do and how we should do it.

I think it is unfair to blame just one Party or one Government. As I said rear belts had to be in new cars from 1982. Thats 24 years ago. Why did they not make it the same rule for all vehicles. I think that all vehicles should have 1 belts per seat. Why also do many people with large families think it is ok to stick 4 or 5 children on the backseat designed for 3. We must all of seen it, it is that common place. I would have liked to see the current legislation upheld more before we even got to the stage of new child restraint law.

Neil · 01-10-2006, 09:49

One thing about the new law that annoys me. My lad is about 2cm under height so needs to use a child restraint. I have a baby seat on my rear seat on the passenger side. A booster seat behind the driver's seat for my 5 year old. There is not enough room to fit another booster in the middle. My car is a large Citroen Xantia estate not a little hatchback. It has a rear centre seatbelt that is a lap and diagonal type belt. This is on a 1997 car. The top part of the belts comes out of the top of the seat and is the perfect position for my son without a booster seat. The law belt sits on his hips not his stomach. According to the law he can't use it as it is, the only way I am getting away with it is because i can't fit another booster in the car.

Before someone suggests I put him on the front seat, I can't. Read this bit about air bags from my link above

Quote:

See what the car handbook says about children in seats with frontal air-bags. This can vary from car to car. We strongly recommend that advice should be followed because air-bags are powerful safety devices that must be treated with respect. Children, and adults for that matter, should not sit close to an active frontal air-bag. We suggest that the car seat should be as far back as possible from an air-bag.

My car's hand book says not to put children under the age of 10 in the front seat because of the air bag.

Why don't they legislate against new cars having lap only belts?

jambutty · 01-10-2006, 10:11

This booster seat law has been brought in by the current government, which is the Labour Party. Thus they get the blame for a half-baked law. They have had nigh on ten years to tighten up the rules on seat belts but have done nothing, as have the Tories previously so they both get blamed for that.

If seat belts are a safety feature, which they are, then everyone in a motor vehicle should be obliged to use one when travelling in a car etc. I accept that passenger seat belts in a bus wouldn’t be practical but buses do crash also. What about trains? No seat belts there. Aeroplanes use seat belts for landing and take-off and in rough flying conditions.

A van delivery driver (white van man) does not have to wear a seat belt whilst delivering. Why not? Is he not likely to have an accident?

Anyway it seems like we are drifting off the topic of booster seats for kids so I’ll leave it at that.

Neil · 01-10-2006, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

I accept that passenger seat belts in a bus wouldn’t be practical but buses do crash also.

Why not? It seams easy to me. All busses should have seat belts. You sit on the seat and put the belt on. What could be easier than that. They should of course all be lap and diagonal not lap only. Oh yes and while we are on about buses, there should be no standing passengers allowed. We would all be horrified to see some kiddies stood up in the back of a car. Whats the difference?

Gayle · 01-10-2006, 11:15

If they can put seatbelts in planes then I'm sure they can fit them onto buses.