Our 10 Tips for Safer Car Travel

Here are 10 easy things you can do if you are responsible for transporting children in a motor vehicle to help ensure their safety:

1. Always buckle up!
   Using any form of restraint is preferable to none at all, but make sure yours is fit for purpose!
   
2. Rear-facing as long as they fit!
   Infants are safest in a rear-facing car seat, as long as they fit in it.
   
3. Inbuilt harness as long as they fit!
   Once a child is too tall for their rear-facing child restraint, they should use a forward-facing child restraint with a inbuilt harness as long as they still fit in it.
   
4. Use a booster seat as long as they fit!
   Once a child is too tall for a forward-facing child restraint, they should use a booster seat with a lap-sash seat belt until they are tall enough to fit properly into an adult seat belt.
   
5. Seat Belt? Check 5.
   Have you taken the 5 Step Test? Your child will fit the seatbelts of different cars at different ages. If your child does not meet the 5 Step Test, they should remain in their booster seat.
   
6. Correctly fitted and adjusted!
   All child restraints and booster seats must be installed correctly and the child must be buckled in correctly, as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
   
7. Safest in the back seat.
   Children under 12 years of age are safest in the rear seat.
   
8. Is your car right for the job?
   When planning a journey with children, use a motor vehicle which allows each child to be in the appropriate restraint for their size.
   
9. Accessorise correctly.
   Never add accessories to the restraint that were not provided by the manufacturer with the restraint.
   
10. Check your car seat regularly.
    Make sure your restraint is installed correctly and adjusted for the child – an accredited restraint installer can help with this.

Each of these issues and the evidence that supports each of the best practice recommendations can be found in the detailed consumer guide, and associated national best practice guidelines publications. These are just some of the key ways to ensure the children you are transporting are optimally restrained during every trip.

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