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The new child seat regulations

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John Prigent
Homosapien

United Kingdom
8413 Posts

Posted - 16 September 2006 : 8:01:47 PM

I know it is presented as a safety measure, but it seems to me another "Nanny knows best" move by our beloved leaders. I wonder if they have realised that many families will no longer be able to fit all their children into a standard car (you can't physically get three child seats into the back of one) so will be changing to one of the hated people-movers or four-wheel-drive cars so they can take the children without breaking the new law by having one in a front seat.

Cheers

John

Turretmuppet
Dinosaur

United Kingdom
396 Posts

Posted - 16 September 2006 : 10:10:44 PM

quote:
you can't physically get three child seats into the back of one

Yes you can, John. I've got three children with four years between them, the eldest being twelve. I've had a variety of 'standard' cars over that period and never had a problem fitting three child seats in the back of any of them. Do try to make your comment factual.

Edited by - Turretmuppet on 16 September 2006 10:14:09 PM

John Prigent
Homosapien

United Kingdom
8413 Posts

Posted - 16 September 2006 : 10:42:53 PM

You must have the only car type with a shoulder belt for the centre back seat, Turret. What kind is it? My comment was as factual as I could make it with my knowledge, since a shoulder belt is needed to hold the centre child seat safely and I don't know of a car with more than a lap belt for the centre rear.

Cheers

John

Turretmuppet
Dinosaur

United Kingdom
396 Posts

Posted - 16 September 2006 : 11:57:13 PM

Buy a seat with an intregal harness designed for lapbelts, use the Isofix fixing point system or get a lovely Volvo with an integral child seat in the centre back.

I'm not really up to speed on cars, but I'll think you'll find that most sport three point belts in the rear centre seat as standard in this day and age. As far as I know Fords and Vauxhalls have them, for example. I believe they could be considered 'standard' cars.

In the eight years that my wife and I have had 'three' children, we've had a Vauxhall, a Ford and Volvos, all of which have had three child seats fitted seats in the back. Having been involved in car accidents, we would now only buy Volvos, for the safety of our family.

I also fail to see how a law that is aimed at preventing children from suffering horrific injuries in car accidents is anything other than good? We've had two cars written off in two years by other idiot drivers, one of whom had three unrestrained children in her car. In my opinion, this law hasn't come soon enough.

"so they can take the children without breaking the new law by having one in a front seat."

They can use the front seat....as long as they have the correct restraint.

Edited by - Turretmuppet on 17 September 2006 08:04:16 AM

AndyCanty
Homosapien

United Kingdom
6629 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 10:02:29 AM

Turret i agree, with most of your points but to clarify I think it's the slightly larger cars from the last5-6yrs that have 3 x full seat belts in the back, i have a 6yr old golf (and have had an astra of the same age) and they only have/had a lapbelt in the middle. its not a problem as i only have 2 children, but i do see your point, if you have multiple kids you buy a vehicle to suit your needs and this will mean suvs 4x4s etc simply for seating space.

I think the law is mainly aimed at people who have crappy old cars with no proper seatbelts. rather than the rest of us who drive carefully and have our kids in child seats.
It has helped me though, my 2 always fight over who sits in the front, now i just say it's against the law and that settles the arguments..hehe
You can put a booster in the front seat if you need to though.

plus there is exclusions or clarifications to the law. shorttrips with an unexpected addition of a child do not need a child seat etc etc.

_________________________
If all the worlds a stage?

Where's my script???

Turretmuppet
Dinosaur

United Kingdom
396 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 10:32:58 AM

Yep, the three point belts as standard are more recent, but I think you'll Ford, for example, put them in the whole range now. But even with just a lapbelt you can get seats for them, as I did, pre-Volvo :)

John Prigent
Homosapien

United Kingdom
8413 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 11:09:09 AM

That's very interesting! It's good to know that three seats _can_ be fitted after all, though all the cars I see around here with two child seats in the back don't have room for a third to fit between them so it must just be the newer cars that have the space.

Thanks for the explanation, Turret!

Cheers

John

Turretmuppet
Dinosaur

United Kingdom
396 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 11:52:40 AM

Do you make a habit of peering into the backseats of cars then, John?

John Prigent
Homosapien

United Kingdom
8413 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 12:27:32 PM

No, I walk past them in the Parent and Child parking bays at Sainsbury's four times a week. Chuckle.

Cheers

John

Stomachus Grossus
Homosapien

United Kingdom
1858 Posts

Posted - 17 September 2006 : 8:34:05 PM

Ok you need to read the new law people.

If there are three children on a rear seat only two of them need to be in seats. Its one of the exceptions.

I have this problem with three kids between 8 & 5 and i was panicing so i looked into it