Forward facing baby seats
Discussion
My wife just sent me this link, https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules.
It basically says that until a child is 15 months old they must be in a rear facing seat.
Our twin boys will be 1 year old in 2 weeks and we moved them into the forward facing seats as they are too big for the rear facing maxi cosi pebble. Am I breaking the law?
I'm using maxi cosi Pearl with isofix as the next step up. I've looked at the ROSPA site and the information is very conflicting with regards to I-Size regulations.
It basically says that until a child is 15 months old they must be in a rear facing seat.
Our twin boys will be 1 year old in 2 weeks and we moved them into the forward facing seats as they are too big for the rear facing maxi cosi pebble. Am I breaking the law?
I'm using maxi cosi Pearl with isofix as the next step up. I've looked at the ROSPA site and the information is very conflicting with regards to I-Size regulations.
What is the forward facing seat you are using?
There is a big thread here about car seats, but I am not sure on the legalities, though links indicates 15 months rear facing? I thought it was down to weight, not age, that's what I-size is all about???
We have a Cybex Sirona, and just changed it to forward facing today for a long trip. (22months daughter). Looks very safe, as it uses a pad restraint, rather than straps, but appears restrictive, as arms are high over the pad, so may not be great forward facing for day time trips.... We will have to see.
We do seem to be behind in the UK with regards to rear facing, seems as it is far safer than forward facing.
There is a big thread here about car seats, but I am not sure on the legalities, though links indicates 15 months rear facing? I thought it was down to weight, not age, that's what I-size is all about???
We have a Cybex Sirona, and just changed it to forward facing today for a long trip. (22months daughter). Looks very safe, as it uses a pad restraint, rather than straps, but appears restrictive, as arms are high over the pad, so may not be great forward facing for day time trips.... We will have to see.
We do seem to be behind in the UK with regards to rear facing, seems as it is far safer than forward facing.
Trax said:
What is the forward facing seat you are using?
There is a big thread here about car seats, but I am not sure on the legalities, though links indicates 15 months rear facing? I thought it was down to weight, not age, that's what I-size is all about???
I'm using Maxi Cosi Pearl forward facing seats with isofix bases. I did look at that thread but there is no mention. There is a big thread here about car seats, but I am not sure on the legalities, though links indicates 15 months rear facing? I thought it was down to weight, not age, that's what I-size is all about???
I think the rule only applies to new seats fitted to cars where this configuration is possible. My car (1996 Saab 9000) does not have the required isofix points, nor does my wife's heavily modified wheelchair accessible 2013 VW T5. If they made the law apply retrospectively to old seats or to cars without isofix I suspect there would be a fair few people with some words to say on the matter!
Common sense tells me that they can't be making older car seats and cars illegal, however common sense does not always apply!
(link above didn't work btw)
Common sense tells me that they can't be making older car seats and cars illegal, however common sense does not always apply!
(link above didn't work btw)
jamiem555 said:
Well, that definitely says under 15 months must be in rear facing seats, this seems to have been sneaked in without any publicity, I haven't seen anything about it until now so there were a couple of months when we had our friends sub 15 month kid in the car in his forward facing seat, he's now 23 months so we're OK.I've not searched for the answer, but then again, I don't search every time I go in the car to make sure there haven't been any changes to the law that haven't been publicised!
That's interesting - I thought it was recommendation not the law.
My daughter is 15 months and actually still rear facing in the original cabriofix baby seat, but only because she is a tiddler! When large enough she will go into the equivalent forward facing. I think those two way base seats must be quite new because I don't remember seeing them when we were seat shopping about 18 months ago!
My daughter is 15 months and actually still rear facing in the original cabriofix baby seat, but only because she is a tiddler! When large enough she will go into the equivalent forward facing. I think those two way base seats must be quite new because I don't remember seeing them when we were seat shopping about 18 months ago!
I did look at the maxi cosi pearl two way but it would've meant buying two more isofix bases. I already have the family fix base that works with the pebble and pearl. At £375 each I'm not doing that for the sake of 3 months.
Looks like they'll not be travelling in the car for 3 months.
Looks like they'll not be travelling in the car for 3 months.
Definitive info from reliable sources is a little thin in the ground, but AIUI the writers of the gov.uk website have jumped the gun somewhat and caused a lot of confusion. What's actually changed is that legislation has just come into force to allow the sale and use of car seats conforming to a new standard (which requires car seats for babies under 15 months to be rear facing). However the new standard doesn't (yet) replace the old standard (where the cut off was 9 months), and the sale and use of car seats which mees the old standard will remain legal for the next few years at least. So there's no need to rush out and buy a new car seat - and if there was I'd expect there to have been some sort of publicity campaign which went a bit further than quietly changing a page on the government website. At some point in the future the sale of seats which don't meet the new standard will become illegal, and at some point further in the future their use will become illegal.
AIUI, at least.
That said, from a safety rather than a legal point of view, there seems to be a growing consensus that the longer kids remain in rear facing seats the better.
Added - best link I could come up with
http://hannahspannah.co.uk/mummy-matters/new-child...
The fact that I couldn't find a better one itself suggests that in practical terms there has been no major change.
AIUI, at least.
That said, from a safety rather than a legal point of view, there seems to be a growing consensus that the longer kids remain in rear facing seats the better.
Added - best link I could come up with
http://hannahspannah.co.uk/mummy-matters/new-child...
The fact that I couldn't find a better one itself suggests that in practical terms there has been no major change.
Edited by Aretnap on Saturday 4th April 12:07
Aretnap said:
Definitive info from reliable sources is a little thin in the ground, but AIUI the writers of the gov.uk website have jumped the gun somewhat and caused a lot of confusion. What's actually changed is that legislation has just come into force to allow the sale and use of car seats conforming to a new standard (which requires car seats for babies under 15 months to be rear facing). However the new standard doesn't (yet) replace the old standard (where the cut off was 9 months), and the sale and use of car seats which mees the old standard will remain legal for the next few years at least. So there's no need to rush out and buy a new car seat - and if there was I'd expect there to have been some sort of publicity campaign which went a bit further than quietly changing a page on the government website. At some point in the future the sale of seats which don't meet the new standard will become illegal, and at some point further in the future their use will become illegal.
AIUI, at least.
That said, from a safety rather than a legal point of view, there seems to be a growing consensus that the longer kids remain in rear facing seats the better.
Added - best link I could come up with
http://hannahspannah.co.uk/mummy-matters/new-child...
The fact that I couldn't find a better one itself suggests that in practical terms there has been no major change.
This is my understanding too. If it's an i-Size seat, then kids up to 15 months must be rear-facing. However, if not i-Size, then they can be forward-facing from 9 months (weight depending?) as before.AIUI, at least.
That said, from a safety rather than a legal point of view, there seems to be a growing consensus that the longer kids remain in rear facing seats the better.
Added - best link I could come up with
http://hannahspannah.co.uk/mummy-matters/new-child...
The fact that I couldn't find a better one itself suggests that in practical terms there has been no major change.
Edited by Aretnap on Saturday 4th April 12:07
http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/rearward-facing-...
The only law you are breaking is the law common sense. Go out and buy the appropriate seat.
My kid is two and a half YO 86 cms tall and fits REAR FACING with plenty of room to spare in this:
http://www.besafe.com/en/car-seat-products/toddler...
She'll be in it until she's four or exceeds the weight allowance. f
k what the government says I don't need them to tell me a 15 month year old's neck would snap like a chicken in a meaningful impact if front facing - it's just common sense.
http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
My kid is two and a half YO 86 cms tall and fits REAR FACING with plenty of room to spare in this:
http://www.besafe.com/en/car-seat-products/toddler...
She'll be in it until she's four or exceeds the weight allowance. f
k what the government says I don't need them to tell me a 15 month year old's neck would snap like a chicken in a meaningful impact if front facing - it's just common sense.http://www.rearfacing.co.uk
Edited by DoubleSix on Saturday 4th April 21:07
NiceCupOfTea said:
This intrigues me. No way would our daughter still have fitted in a rear facing seat at 15 months. I think she went front facing at 10 months due to size constraints and not being able to see out!
Up to you, but in Sweden where they've used rear facing seats until the age of 4 for some time, they've virtually eliminated deaths of young children in car crashes.SpeedMattersNot said:
Has anyone done any tests of when the baby is sleeping?
No need.Everyone knows the laws of physics cease to apply when we sleep. The pendulous effects of the childs outsized head no longer exert extreme forces on the spine. In short, the child becomes invulnerable.
NiceCupOfTea said:
This intrigues me. No way would our daughter still have fitted in a rear facing seat at 15 months. I think she went front facing at 10 months due to size constraints and not being able to see out!
Our 13 month old has been forward facing for a while now, I don't think he'd fit in it rear facing either but then my girlfriend has a Ford Ka and I don't think our current seat would even fit the other way round!A bit concerned now, thanks Doublesix!
Oakey said:
Our 13 month old has been forward facing for a while now, I don't think he'd fit in it rear facing either but then my girlfriend has a Ford Ka and I don't think our current seat would even fit the other way round!
A bit concerned now, thanks Doublesix!
Sorry but imho you should be concerned. I'm guilty of being a little evangelistic on this subject but only because its such an obvious way of preventing harm to people who have no choice but to be exposed to danger on our terms. A bit concerned now, thanks Doublesix!
The British just seem to have their priorities all arse about face on this one. Desperate to convenience themselves and make life easier without considering what's really important.
I'm going to put two photos up tomorrow. One of my two and a half year old rear facing in our BMW 1 series (you know, the really roomy ones) and then one of her in our really really roomy Audi A4.
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