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Are YOU confused by the booster seat law?
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Car seat safety is a key concern for most parents, but negotiating the rules and regulations surrounding it can be a headache to say the least!
And, if you didn't know that the law had changed regarding booster seats, you’re not alone.
A study by the insurance comparison site Confused.com has shown that 56% of parents have no idea that ALL children under 135cm in height (or the age of 12 – depending on which they reach first) have to travel in a car seat.
Here are our best buys, from as little as £30, read more about the new booster seat laws, below.
1. Britax Romer KIDFIX SL, £85
*Group 2-3 (15-36kg)
*Suitable for children aged four and upwards
*Can be installed using Isofix
Britax is a well-known car seat brand and has models suitable from birth to tweens. This high-backed booster is light and easy to transfer between cars and has the added benefit that it can be fitted to your car using Isofix.
It has good side impact protection, with deep, softly padded side wings.
We also like that you can adjust it as your child grows; both the headrest and upper belt guide can be moved as they get bigger.
2. Graco Junior Maxi, £29.99
*For children 15 to 36 kg (approx. 4 to 12 years)
*Dimensions 41 x 41 x 68 cm
*Available in 6 different colour ways
A purse-friendly model from a well-respected car seat brand, the Junior Maxi will safely transport your child until around age 12.
It's full of features despite the competitive price: with a headrest that can be adjusted with one hand and movable armrests.
It also has two cup holders hidden away for drinks on the go and the covers can be removed and popped in the washing machine for ease.
3. CYBEX X-Fix
*For children 15 to 36 kg (approx. 4 to 12 years)
*Suitable for cars with and without ISOFIX
*Available in 9 different striking colour ways
This model might be a little more expensive that others on the market, but Cybex car seats always offer the latest innovations and features.
The X-Fx takes safety to another level with a three-way adjustable reclining headrest, built-in side impact protection and the option to use Isofix fittings.
The reclining headrest cleverly prevents the child's head from falling forward while asleep, which gives them even greater protection if an accident occurs.
So, what exactly has changed about the booster seat law?
Getting rid of backless booster seats has long been the aim of safety campaigners.
Why? Because they don’t offer the same protection as a seat with a back if a collision happens, particularly if the impact is from the side.
The law changed in early 2017 meaning that only children over 125cm and weighing more than 22kg - usually children aged between six and eight years old - are able to use a backless booster seat.
Before then, children over 15kg (the weight of the average three-year-old) had been allowed to travel in a backless booster seat.
But what’s confusing is that the law change ONLY applies to NEW seats on the market.
So if parents already own a backless booster seat and have a child under 125cm in height or 22kg in weight, they can carry on using it.
Mixed messages about booster seats
Not surprisingly, the research by Confused.com found one in four parents think the rules are still unclear.
Worryingly, the study also found that a fifth of parents rarely use a car seat or booster seat for their child.
Meanwhile more than 44% of parents admitted not replacing their child’s car seat after a crash – even though three quarters of them knew that it could be weakened as a result.
We believe that you should keep your child in a car seat with a back for as long as possible. And if money is an issue, don't worry - they're more affordable than you think.
Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, says: 'The fact that backless car seats will still be acceptable to use if they were bought before the law change sends mixed safety messages.
'If regulations for manufacturers state that heavier and taller children should be using booster seats with backs then why isn’t the same rules being extended to parents?
'The messaging needs to be simplified so parents are certain which type of seating will provide their children with the best protection.'
Read on:
• The best extended rear-facing car seats
•How to buy a newborn car seat
This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase from Amazon. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.
