How do you know if you’ve got the right child seat for your child? Although age can be a useful guide, weight is the key determinant. Because tots, toddlers and kids vary enormously in size and weight, (even at the same age) weight is the only truly reliable yardstick to ensure true consistency in the regulations.
Child seats can generally be used from the age of 9-12 months; or more accurately when they reach a minimum weight of 10kg. Bear in mind that ‘longer life’ baby seats are available (0+ grade baby seats) which should see your child through to about fifteen months or 13kg. Combination seats are also widely available which are designed to operate in both rear facing and forward facing modes. A combination seat should see your child through their first few years of car travel quite comfortably.
The first difference you (and your child) will notice when they meet the magic weight requirements is that they get to turn round and look at the world the same way that you do. Child seats are designed for forward facing installation (unlike baby seats). As with all baby seats and booster seats, child seats may be used in the front or back of the car, but the back is always the safest option.
When choosing your car seat, be aware of the range of special features and optional extras that are available. In particular look for side impact protection. Assuming your son or daughter is safely strapped into the back seat, having additional side protection will ensure they’ve got a good degree of protection from every angle.
Child seats are also available in a convertible form – from child seat to booster seat. All you have to do is remove the back of the seat when the child reaches the designated weight and voila – instant booster seat!
With even more features - like cup holders, toy holders, adjustable arm rests and padded straps, you can ensure that your child travels in absolute comfort and safety.
© Car Safety Seats.org.uk 2008
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Kiddicare.com Mini Car Seat Granite From Kiddie Care , 0+, 13, 15, adjustable, attaches, belt, birth, canopy, car, care, child, comfort, cover, group, harness, head, hugger, infant, kg, kiddie, mini, pads, point, pull, rearward, removable, seat, seats, shoulder, sun, vehicles, washable... £29.99 | Maxi Cosi Pebble Footmuff Emerald Green From Kiddie Care , car, care, child, coordinate, footmuff, infant, kiddie, little, maxicosi, pebble, seat, seats, snug, travelling, warm... £32.00 | Maxi Cosi Pebble Footmuff Lapis Blue From Kiddie Care , car, care, child, coordinate, footmuff, infant, kiddie, little, maxicosi, pebble, seat, seats, snug, travelling, warm... £32.00 |
Maxi Cosi Pebble Footmuff Ruby Red From Kiddie Care , car, care, child, coordinate, footmuff, infant, kiddie, little, maxicosi, pebble, seat, seats, snug, travelling, warm... £32.00 | Maxi Cosi Pebble Footmuff Onyx Lilac From Kiddie Care , car, care, child, coordinate, footmuff, infant, kiddie, little, maxicosi, pebble, seat, seats, snug, travelling, warm... £32.00 | Maxi Cosi Pebble Footmuff Fossil Brown From Kiddie Care , car, care, child, coordinate, footmuff, infant, kiddie, little, maxicosi, pebble, seat, seats, snug, travelling, warm... £32.00 |
Kiddicare.com Super Car Seat Sunny From Kiddie Care , 1/2/3, 11, 3point, 5point, 9mths, adjustable, arm, belt, car, care, cars, chest, child, child's, children, comfort, cover, crotch, fit, fixes, forward, group, grow, harness, headrest, kiddie, lightweight, padded, pads, removable, rests, safety, seat, se... £39.99 | My Child Travel Basic Combination Car Seat - Luna Blush From Mothercare , blush, car, child, combinations, esprit, luna, mothercare, my, seat, seats, travel... £44.99 | Hauck Isofix Base Carseat Black From Kiddie Care , adjustable, base, car, care, child, fastened, fitted, isofix, kiddie, leg, quickly, safety, seat, seats, securely, stability, vehicle... £48.95 |
Jane Xtend Group 1 Impact Shield From Babyworld , >, 18kgs, 23, 123, accessories, accessory, babyworld, car, child, children, convert, cushion, desig, developed, effectively, essentially, following, group, impact, indy, jane, kiddy, montecarlo, plus, protective, recaro, retention, safely, seat, seats... £58.97 | My Child Remi Top Combination Car Seat - Graphite Groove From Mothercare , car, child, combinations, esprit, graphite, groove, mothercare, my, remi, seat, seats... £59.99 | My Child Remi Top Combination Car Seat - Luna Blush From Mothercare , blush, car, child, combinations, esprit, luna, mothercare, my, remi, seat, seats... £59.99 |
Babystyle Oyster Car Seat - Black / Pink From Kiddie Care , 13kgs, adapter, adding, adjustable, apron, birth13kg, car, care, chassis, child, children, clicks, fits, fixes, harness, head, hood, hugger, illustration, image, kiddie, oyster, purposes, rearward, seat, seats, stroller, system, travel, turn, vehicle... £66.95 | Babystyle Oyster Car Seat - Pearl From Kiddie Care , 13kgs, adapter, adding, adjustable, apron, birth13kg, car, care, chassis, child, children, clicks, fits, fixes, harness, head, hood, hugger, illustration, image, kiddie, oyster, purposes, rearward, seat, seats, stroller, system, travel, turn, vehicle... £66.95 | Babystyle Oyster Car Seat - Black / Green From Kiddie Care , 13kgs, adapter, adding, adjustable, apron, birth13kg, car, care, chassis, child, children, clicks, fits, fixes, harness, head, hood, hugger, illustration, image, kiddie, oyster, purposes, rearward, seat, seats, stroller, system, travel, turn, vehicle... £66.95 |
My Child Grow With Me Car Seat From Grattan , 123, 36kg, adjustable, belt, forward, front, grattan, grow, headrest, it's, point, positioned, seat, system, weight... £70.00 | My Child Grow With Me Car Seat From Look Again , 123, 36kg, adjustable, belt, forward, front, grow, headrest, it's, point, positioned, seat, system, weight... £70.00 | Cosatto Cabi Carseat Pitch From Kiddie Care , 0+, 13, 29, 44, birth, canopy, car, care, chest, child, cm, group, h50, head, hugger, impact, kg, kiddie, l70, lbs, pads, removable, seat, seats, side, tummy, w44, weight... £79.99 |
Britax Prince From Tesco , 1yr+, 3point, 9kg, advantage, base, belt, britax, car, child, electronics, impact, increase, installed, lap, light, positions, prince, recline, routed, safe, safety, seat, side, tesco, weight... £85.00 | Graco LOGICO LX COMFORT CAR SEAT CITY From Tesco , adjustable, backrest, car, child, comfort, cover, cup, double, electronics, graco, grows, head, holders, impact, logico, plastic, positions, pse, reclining, reinforced, removable, retractable, seat, shell, side, sides, support, tesco, washable... £89.99 | Britax Kidfix Car Seat - Felix From Kiddie Care , 1536kg, 23, 3point, 412yrs, anchored, anchors, base, belt, car, car's, care, category, child, comfortable, connection, correctly, cover, diagonal, eliminating, error, group, installed, installing, isofit, isofix, kiddie, kidfix, lap, margin, padded, poi... £99.99 |
Jane Montecarlo Car Seat - Wine From Kiddie Care , 12, 15, 2/3, 36, 52, 70%, adapt, adjustable, adjustment, aeration, altered, aluminium, backrest, breathable, breathe, car, care, child, child's, children, compared, conforms, design, ece, ergonomic, extension, fabric, fit, group, growth, headrest, impac... £102.95 | Britax Explora STS Car Seat From Tesco , automatic, britax, car, child, comfortable, electronics, enable, explora, forward, harness, impact, indicates, installation, journey, point, positions, recline, safe, safely, safety, seat, seatbelt, seated, side, strap, sts, tensioning, tesco, tilts... £108.89 | My Child Mega Max Combination Car Seat - Toura Blaze From Mothercare , blaze, car, child, combinations, esprit, max, mega, mothercare, my, seat, seats, toura... £109.99 |
My Child Mega Max Combination Car Seat - Toura Jet From Mothercare , car, child, combinations, esprit, jet, max, mega, mothercare, my, seat, seats, toura... £109.99 | Chicco Proixma Car Seat From Tesco , 018kg, birth, birth+, car, chicco, child, child's, conforms, ece, electronics, ensure, forward, harness, point, position, proixma, r44/04, ranges, rear, recline, safety, seat, sit, tesco, unaided, weight... £109.99 | Maxi Cosi Priori SPS Car Seat Stone From Sainsburys , 3point, adjust, area, belt, boosters, car, catered, child, comfort, crotch, four, handy, harness, hasslefree, hooks, installed, journeys, maxicosi, operation, padded, play, positions, preschoolers, priori, reclining, sainsburys, seat, seats, side, sidei... £110.00 |
Renolux Quick Confort Car Seat Red Racer From Kiddie Care , 1/2/3, 12, 12mths12, 36kgs, absorber, absorption, adjustable, belt, car, care, child, children, comfort, confort, energy, extreme, fitting, forward, group, headrest, impact, journeys, kiddie, movement, renolux, retractable, seat, seats, shock, shoulder,... £116.99 | Renolux Quick Confort Car Seat Black Knight From Kiddie Care , 1/2/3, 12, 12mths12, 36kgs, absorber, absorption, adjustable, belt, car, care, child, children, comfort, confort, energy, extreme, fitting, forward, group, headrest, impact, journeys, kiddie, movement, renolux, retractable, seat, seats, shock, shoulder,... £116.99 | Britax Evolva Car Seat Group 1 From Babyworld , >, 12, 3britax, babyworld, car, child, comfort, compromising, evolva, group, grows, it's, kg, safety, seat, seats, versatility... £117.97 |
Bebecar Easymaxi Carseat - Regatta From Kiddie Care , 13kg, 'onepull', 'rocker', apron, babies, base, bebecar, birth, car, care, chassis, child, coordinating, cushion, fixed, harness, head, hood, hugger, impact, infant, kiddie, maxi, position, pvc, raincover, removable, seat, seats, set, side, suit, used... £119.95 | Bebecar Easymaxi Carseat - Black Velvet (E-980) From Kiddie Care , 13kg, 4kg, 'onepull', 'rocker', apron, babies, base, bebecar, birth, car, care, chassis, child, coordinating, cushion, fixed, harness, head, hood, hugger, impact, infant, kiddie, maxi, position, pvc, raincover, removable, seat, seats, set, side, suit, u... £119.95 | Bebecar Easymaxi Carseat - Kiwi (060) From Kiddie Care , 13kg, 'onepull', 'rocker', apron, babies, base, bebecar, birth, car, care, chassis, child, coordinating, cushion, fixed, harness, head, hood, hugger, impact, infant, kiddie, maxi, position, pvc, raincover, removable, seat, seats, set, side, suit, used... £119.95 |
Bebecar Easymaxi Carseat - Ruby (058) From Kiddie Care , 13kg, 'onepull', 'rocker', apron, babies, base, bebecar, birth, car, care, chassis, child, coordinating, cushion, fixed, harness, head, hood, hugger, impact, infant, kiddie, maxi, position, pvc, raincover, removable, seat, seats, set, side, suit, used... £119.95 | Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR Group 2/3 Car Seat From Look Again , 12, 15, 36kgs, 3½, 4*, anchor, area, backwards, base, belt, car, child, children, conforms, correctly, ece, eps, front, guides, head, impact, operated, optimum, part, position, pulls, r44/04, rating, recline, relaxing, rest, retractable, rodi, seat, se... £120.00 | Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR Group 2/3 Car Seat From Kaleidoscope , 12, 15, 36kgs, 3Ý, 4*, anchor, area, backwards, base, belt, car, child, children, conforms, correctly, ece, eps, front, guides, head, impact, kaleidoscope, operated, optimum, part, position, pulls, r44/04, rating, recline, relaxing, rest, retractable,... £120.00 |
Renolux Next Confort Car Seat Purple Orchid From Kiddie Care , 18kgs, absorption, adjustment, belt, boulgom, buckle, car, care, central, child, comfort, comfortable, confort, fitting, foam, forward, group, harness, impact, journeys, kiddie, otimised, position, recline, restraint, safety, seat, seats, shock, side, s... £125.99 | Renolux Next Confort Car Seat Red Racer From Kiddie Care , 18kgs, absorption, adjustment, belt, boulgom, buckle, car, care, central, child, comfort, comfortable, confort, fitting, foam, forward, group, harness, impact, journeys, kiddie, otimised, position, recline, restraint, safety, seat, seats, shock, side, s... £125.99 | Britax EVOLVA 1-2-3 Robbie From Tesco , 123, 15kg, 36kg, accommodate, adjustfit, adjustment, adult, belt, britax, car, child, children, comfort, comfortably, cover, design, electronics, evolva, forward, guides, harness, headrest, position, removable, robbie, round, safely, seat, stowed, syste... £129.99 |
Kiddy Infinity Pro Group 1 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 18kg, 2007, absorbent, adac, agency, automobile, babyworld, body, car, child, class, club, compared, consumer, germany's, greatly, group, head, honeycomb, impact, infinity, injury, june, kg, kiddy, largest, neck, padding, poin, pro, protective, red... £143.00 | Bébé Confort Iseos TT Group 1 Car Seat From Look Again , 40, 55, 918kg, adjustable, adjusted, adjuster, backrest, child, cm, complies, correctly, disturb, ece, firmly, fitted, grow, handy, harness, holders, impact, increases, optimum, padded, pull, r44/04, recline, reinforced, safety, seat, side, sides, silen... £144.00 | Bébé Confort Iseos TT Group 1 Car Seat From Kaleidoscope , 40, 55, 918kg, adjustable, adjusted, adjuster, backrest, child, cm, complies, correctly, disturb, ece, firmly, fitted, grow, handy, harness, holders, impact, increases, kaleidoscope, optimum, padded, pull, r44/04, recline, reinforced, safety, seat, side... £144.00 |
Britax Duo Plus Car Seat - From Kiddie Care , 3point, 5point, 918kg, 9mths4yrs, "pivot, accident, adjustable, adjustment, anchors, arm, belt, car, car's, care, catch, chest, child, child's, confirm, connection, cover, deep, eliminating, engaged, error, event, firm, forward, front, group, handed, ha... £144.95 | Britax Duo Plus Car Seat - Felix From Kiddie Care , 3point, 5point, 918kg, 9mths4yrs, "pivot, accident, adjustable, adjustment, anchors, arm, belt, car, car's, care, catch, chest, child, child's, confirm, connection, cover, deep, eliminating, engaged, error, event, firm, forward, front, group, handed, ha... £144.95 | Britax Duo Plus Car Seat - Olivia Charcoal/Red From Kiddie Care , 3point, 5point, 918kg, 9mths4yrs, "pivot, accident, adjustable, adjustment, anchors, arm, belt, car, car's, care, catch, chest, child, child's, confirm, connection, cover, deep, eliminating, engaged, error, event, firm, forward, front, group, handed, ha... £144.95 |
Maxi-Cosi Priori XP Group 1 Car Seat From Grattan , 18kg, adjustable, belt, belts, car, child, children, complies, conveniently, cover, ece, enhanced, fit, forward, front, grattan, hand, harness, hooks, impact, operation, patented, placing, positions, r44/04, recline, remove, rigid, safety, seat, secure,... £152.00 | Maxi-Cosi Priori XP Group 1 Car Seat From Look Again , 18kg, adjustable, belt, belts, car, child, children, complies, conveniently, cover, ece, enhanced, fit, forward, front, hand, harness, hooks, impact, operation, patented, placing, positions, r44/04, recline, remove, rigid, safety, seat, secure, shoulder... £152.00 | Maxi-Cosi Priori XP Group 1 Car Seat From Kaleidoscope , 18kg, adjustable, belt, belts, car, child, children, complies, conveniently, cover, ece, enhanced, fit, forward, front, hand, harness, hooks, impact, kaleidoscope, operation, patented, placing, positions, r44/04, recline, remove, rigid, safety, seat, se... £152.00 |
Maxi Cosi Pearl Group 1 Isofix Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 35, babyworld, base, car, child, children, cosi, familyfix, fit, group, infant, isofix, kg, maxi, part, pearl, pebble, seat, seats, set, system, thanks, unique, unit, you'll... £153.00 | Kiddy Energy Pro Group 1 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, aid, award, babyworld, buffers, car, child, comfort, crash, dispersing, energy, event, group, impact, improving, infinity, injury, innovative, kg, kiddy, kiddy's, multi, neck, onl, pro, reduction, replacement, safety, seat, seats, shield, side, sys... £169.00 | Maxi-Cosi Tobi Group 1 Car Seat From Look Again , 18kg, adjusted, assisted, buckle, car, case, child, children, collisions, complies, correct, ease, ece, ensure, fit/tension, forward, hand, harness, head, impact, indicator, innovative, loaded, lumbar, operation, optimal, placing, positions, r44/04, rec... £187.00 |
| Maxi-Cosi Tobi Group 1 Car Seat From Kaleidoscope , 18kg, adjusted, assisted, buckle, car, case, child, children, collisions, complies, correct, ease, ece, ensure, fit/tension, forward, hand, harness, head, impact, indicator, innovative, kaleidoscope, loaded, lumbar, operation, optimal, placing, position... £187.00 | Kiddy Comfort Pro Group 123 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 12, 123, adjustment, babyworld, car, child, comfort, crash, group, grows, hand, installation, it's, kg, kiddy, little, mechanism, minute, money, possibil, pro, process, safety, scores, seat, seats, stress, test, unique... £195.00 | Recaro Start Car Seat Group 23 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 12, 15, 15kg, 23, 35, 36kg, adjustable, adult, audio, awards, babyworld, car, child, children, comfort, comfortable, concept, environment, expandable, group, innovative, kg, oustanding, programme, recaro, safe, safety, seat, seats, strong, superbly... £199.00 |
Recaro Polaric Rear Facing Group 1 Car Seat - Asphalt Grey From Babyworld , >, accident, adult, although, babyworld, bellini, car, cars, child, children, definitely, fabric, frontal, impact, kg, legal, makers, occasions, of, polaric, rear, recaro, safer, safest, scandinavia, seat, seats, strongly, travel, unlucky, wo, young... £208.97 | Recaro Polaric Rear Facing Group 1 Car Seat - Microfibre From Babyworld , >, accident, adult, although, babyworld, car, cars, child, children, definitely, developed, frontal, group, impact, kg, legal, makers, occasions, of, polaric, rear, recaro, safer, safest, scandinavia, seat, seats, strongly, travel, unlucky, world's, y... £213.97 | Maxi Cosi PrioriFix Isofix Car Seat Group 1 From Babyworld , >, 918, addition, babyworld, car, child, children, clearly, coloured, correctly, cosi, fit, fitting, front, group, growing, immediately, impact, incorrect, indicators, installation, isofix, kg, kgs, maxi, minimum, multirecli, priorifix, room, seat, se... £225.00 |
Britax Safefix Isofix Car Seat Group 1 From Babyworld , >, babyworld, britax, car, child, clicks, comfort, explora, group, harness, holding, isofix, kg, lead, loose, loudly, mechanism, plus, pulling, safe, safefix, safety, seat, seats, stop, strap, straps, superseding, tensioner, tight... £229.97 | Maclaren Techno XLR pushchair From Babyworld , >, 8kg, accommodate, babyworld, birth, car, carrycot, child, coordinates, cossetting, fullfeature, fun, harness, hood, it's, lined, little, luxurious, maclaren, modern, pushchair, pushchairs, recaro, room, seat, soft, striped, system, teamed, techno,... £238.97 | Kettler Safari GT Go Kart From Gym World , car, absorption, adjusted, car, cart, child's, child/parent, decals, decorate, design, dual, firm, freewheel, gokart, gt, gym, handbrake, impact, karts, kettler, profile, protect, racing, safari, seat, separately, set, spine, sports, strip, tool... £239.00 |
Britax Multitech Rear Facing Group 1 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 18kgsthe, 25kgs, 8kgs, babyworld, britax, car, child, combi, essentially, fits, fitted, forward, gets, group, harness, holding, intergral, kg, longest, mu, multitech, point, rear, removed, safest, seat, seats, travel... £249.97 | Jane Exo Isofix Group 1 Car Seat From Babyworld , >, 0+, 2/3, advanced, babyworld, car, changed, child, exo, group, historically, isofit, isofix, it's, jane, kg, safety, seat, seats, sit... £259.97 | Micralite Fastfold Newborn + Travel System Red Including Pack 7 - Newborn Carrycot & Cabrio Fix Car Seat From Kiddie Care , 012mths, 15, 32, 37, 102, 13kg, 3in1travel, 3point, 68kg, adaptor, adjusted, adjuster, allrounder, aluminium, babies, bag, base, belt, birth, black, buckle, buggy, cabrio, cabriofix, canopy, car, care, carry, carrycot, chairs, chassis, child, chunky, cm... £391.49 |
Micralite Fastfold Newborn + Travel System Olive Including Pack 7 - Newborn Carrycot & Cabrio Fix Car Seat From Kiddie Care , 012mths, 15, 32, 37, 102, 13kg, 3in1travel, 3point, 68kg, adaptor, adjusted, adjuster, allrounder, aluminium, babies, bag, base, belt, birth, black, buckle, buggy, cabrio, cabriofix, canopy, car, care, carry, carrycot, chairs, chassis, child, chunky, cm... £391.49 |