Child car seat headache

[s55shh]

Ok, my nieces 15mth old daughter has a broken leg in a cast. She is arriving at local train station tomorrow to come and see my Dad who has terminal cancer. I need to run them to hospital.

I need a child car seat but if I buy one in advance and the cast prevents proper use I've got a problem.
I have no desire to break the law or common sense with precious cargo, but what the fk do I do....?
When considering the childs weight, do I include the plaster cast? FFS

[NGee]

Hire a taxi.
Kids in taxies do not legally need to be belted in. However make sure that whoever is holding the child IS belted in but DO NOT PUT THE SEAT BELT ROUND THE CHILD as well.

[Pica-Pica]

New i-sizes for child seats state rear facing up to 15 months, and go by height, not weight.
However, you can use current seats during the overlap period.

In my opinion, as the leg is in a cast, that is below the torso, and thus centre of gravity of the child, the cast weight not significant.

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/types-of-seat/i-si...

[DJFish]

I would suggest that the easiest route would be a taxi.
The safest route would be a child seat but that depends on the car and whether the tot would have enough legroom, plus it's a big expense for a single journey.


From: https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-...

Unexpected journeys

If the correct child car seat isn’t available, a child aged 3 or older can use an adult seat belt if the journey is all of the following:
•unexpected
•necessary
•over a short distance

You can’t take children under 3 on an unexpected journey in a vehicle without the correct child car seat, unless both of the following apply:
•it’s a licensed taxi or minicab
•the child travels on a rear seat without a seat belt

Edited by DJFish on Monday 23 April 09:02

[Pica-Pica]

I think that should read “a child travels on a rear seat that is not equipped with a seat belt”
The emphasis should be on the seat not having a seat belt, not that the child does not use it.

[DonkeyApple]

How would a cast prevent proper use? Arguably the issue is whether the cast makes the child’s leg protrude forward to whether the leg needs to be supported? Is that not more a case of how you set your car up to achieve this rather than what particular seat you need?

Obviously, the simplest solution is to ask your niece what seat she uses and what issues she currently has had to resolve? She is afterall the only person who actually knows the situation. None of us do.

If the leg needs to be supported then I guess you move the front passenger seat forward and recline it to that it acts as the leg support for the child seat in the rear? But I think you’re wasting your time asking us as your niece knows absolutely everything that you need to know.

[Vaud]

DonkeyApple said:

How would a cast prevent proper use?

I guess because they have to be rear facing and the cast may just out against the back seat?

[syl]

Pica-Pica said:

I think that should read “a child travels on a rear seat that is not equipped with a seat belt”
The emphasis should be on the seat not having a seat belt, not that the child does not use it.

A licenced taxi that doesn't have rear seat belts?

[Vaud]

Pica-Pica said:

I think that should read “a child travels on a rear seat that is not equipped with a seat belt”
The emphasis should be on the seat not having a seat belt, not that the child does not use it.

The emphasis is on age for the unexpected journeys.

<3 years old they shouldn't wear a seat belt, even if one is fitted to the vehicle
>3 they should wear an adult seat belt

It's not about one being fitted.

[Dogwatch]

I would suggest the Taxi route too, though if she's that young won't she have a Maxi-Cosi, which will just need a seat belt?