Understand what car seat group you need.

By law, all children under 135cm tall or under the age of 12 need to have a car seat. There are 8 groups of car seat under the EU regulations and are tested to the fullest for safety, comfort, and ease of use meeting either of the required standards ECE R44 or ECE R129 (i-size).

It is recommended to keep a child rearward facing until the age of 15 months, below this age they are more vulnerable if there is a forceful impact and rearward facing car seats offer additional protection in the event of this happening.

A guide to finding your car seat group.

Understanding i-Size

i-Size is part of a new car seat regulation called R129. Introduced in 2013 it means that if your car is i-Sized approved, then any car seat with the i-Size logo attached will fit into your car and is done so via an isofix base. It’s a good idea to see if your car has isofix ports in it and if they are easily accessible too.

The use of isofix bases means that there should be a reduced risk of fitting your car seat incorrectly as isofix bases and seats are generally easier to install than those that require a seat belt.

i-Size car seats use height to distinguish between which group you need to use for your child. This is a key difference between them and non i-Size car seats which use weight instead. They are not replacing weight-based car seats currently they are just another option for you to pick.

Another key feature of i-Size car seats is that they have introduced side impact crash testing as another part of the approval process. Which was not something that the older R44 models were required to pass, however many do still test this as an extra precaution.

How much should I spend on a car seat.

While you can spend anywhere between £20 and hundreds of pounds, we would advise that when it comes to a car seat, its better not to judge based solely on how cheap it is. Get the best car seat you can within your budget.

Which? test each car seat that they review and according to their own website, it is rare to find a car seat that is both cheap and provides enough protection to be deemed a Best Buy.

Our advice would be to look at the best possible car seat within your budget. We have models which are £200 and are made to do from birth to 4 years. This broken down is 13p a day for a car seat. Not bad value for money at all!

Try it in your car before deciding.

We allow for car seat fitting to see if it fits in your car. Its best to check the car seat and see which cars it fits into before you go ahead and buy it. This is because not all car seats fit into every car. Some cars have back seats that are at angles not suitable for certain car seats and the last thing you want Is to find the car seat you like, only to discover that it doesn’t fit into your car!

Most car seat manufacturer manuals can be found online and within them is usually a list of suitable cars. It’s also a good idea to check if and where your isofix points are in your car. Most modern cars will have them but it is a good idea to check them, as if you have bought your car second hand, there may be a chance they have been damaged or not even have the points depending on its age.

All car seats are classified as either Universal, Semi-universal or Vehicle specific approval. This will help you identify their compatibility to your vehicle(s).

Universal approval

If the car seat has a universal approval label, it means the seat is suitable to be used in any car. You must use the ISOFIX anchorage points in your car, including the top tether or foot support, if it is an ISOFIX car seat. If you're not sure, look in your vehicle’s handbook to see if it says the car is suitable for “Universal ISOFIX child seats” or “Universal child seats”; depending on the installation method used for the car seat (isofix or seat belt).

For your peace of mind, most of our car seats we stock are universal approval, so they will fit in all cars.

Semi-universal approval

If the car seat is marked semi-universal approval, it means it can be used in most vehicles. For your peace of mind, you need to check the child seat manufacturer’s car fitting list. If your car type and model is listed, you can be confident it is suitable.

Vehicle specific approval

A vehicle specific car seat is only approved for use in these cars. The car must be listed in the child seat manufacturer’s car fitting list.

i-Size car seats

The i-Size (R129) safety standard has been developed together with car manufacturers to ensure full compatibility between the Child Car Seat and the car. An i-Size Car seat is 100% compatible with an i-Size vehicle seat and almost all cars with Isofix anchors.

EU Approved

All car seats in this country should be EU approved, so make sure this is visible on the car seat before you buy one online. This way you know that it is fully tested and legal.

Using a car seat.

Make sure you are always putting your child in or removing your child from the car from the pavement side of the car. Also making sure that your child is securely strapped in according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Ensuring that your child is not in a heavy coat that may mean they are not secured correctly. Best to ask to see in store or watch a video online of the correct way to strap your child into the car seat.

Ensure that where possible, there is no food in the car seat, as it tends to get within the mechanisms of the car seat and can cause issues with the locks etc over the lifetime of the car seat.

If using isofix, make sure all points display a green, secure lock position. This way you know that you have put the car seat in correctly and is safe for use.

Take breaks on long journeys. It is important that your baby does not remain in the car seat for extended periods of time as there is the risk of oxygen desaturation. This is when your baby struggles to keep their head up and therefore struggles to breathe. It is best to break a longer journey up with 15-minute breaks to ensure this does not happen. Or investigate buying a lie flat car seat, which allows for these longer journeys if you are a family who travel a lot.