Free child car seat checks

New statistics show more than half of mothers do not know if their child’s car seat is safe. And almost three quarters of mums admitted they could be breaking the law without even knowing it.

The study, carried out for car accessories retailer, Halfords, exposed the full extent of confusion surrounding government legislation and child safety seats.

A worrying 73 per cent of mothers said they did not know what the current legislation was and 63 per cent were not aware of the age babies should be before it is safe to move them into a forward facing car seat.

Statistics on car accidents involving children are stark: 30 children between the ages of 0 to 11 years are killed, 400 seriously injured and over 7,000 slightly injured while traveling in cars every year. A correctly fitted car seat can help prevent some of these injuries, so let’s get the facts straight…

During National Child Travel Week Halfords will remind parents to make car seat safety a constant focus, even on the shortest trips. Parents and carers will also be reminded of the legal requirements. Any child traveling in your car who is up to 135cm tall should always travel in an appropriate child seat or booster seat.

National Child Travel Week takes place between Monday 19 and Sunday 25 July. Halfords will be inviting parents into stores across the UK and Ireland where 2,000 trained child seat specialists will be on hand to provide free advice on car seats.

Halfords Spokesperson Louise Iles said: “In our busy lives as parents it is easy to forget to keep checking that car seats are fitted correctly and to adjust them properly as children grow. We can even be tempted to think it’s ok for a child to use an ordinary seat belt for a short trip, but adult seat belts are not designed to keep children safe and it’s against the law.

“There is no safe substitute for using a correctly fitted child or booster seat, suitable for the weight and size of your child. Our survey has shown that many of us are far from confident about getting this right.”

During National Child Seat Safety Week any parents in need of advice, whether they purchased their seat from Halfords or not, can seek guidance from their local branch. Child car seat specialists will be on hand to offer up to date advice on the law and give free fitting demonstrations on Halfords comprehensive selection of child car seats and booster seats, including leading manufacturers Maxi Cosi, Britax and Graco.

For more information and details of your nearest store visit www.Halfords.com.