Must I use a car seat?

[missslc]

Hi

I am returning to the UK with my 5 month baby in the summer and have organised a car seat for most of the period i will be home but one weekend i will be going somewhere by train and so unable to carry the car seat.

I am just wondering what people do?

If a friend picks me up in her car and she has no car seat can i just have my baby in my lap and the belt over us? My parents seem to think so- but then thsy had kids in the 70s when car seats and seat belts were not on the radar.

people must get taxis with babies sometimes which have no car seat? anyone know the law on it?There must be occasions when car seat are not used- just puzzling over how I will solve it really. ANy help appreciated.

[RustyBear]

You must not have your baby on your lap with the belt round both of you - this is very dangerous.

[ronshar]

You can sit in a car without a car seat. But the belt has to be around YOU only.

The law states that in an emergency or in a taxis then it isnt a requirement to use a car seat.

Dont worry too much about it and have a great holiday.

Hope that helps a little.

[dixiechick1975]

Licensed taxi's are exempt.

Only reason to be in a car without a car seat is unexpected necessity, which is not the case here as the trip is pre planned.

Driver can be fined up to £500 for breaking the law.

If you are travelling by train get a taxi to stay within the law not a lift from a friend.

Could you not carry the baby in the car seat onto the train or the friend borrow a seat from someone?

My understanding is belt over you both is worse than no restrant for the baby.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

It is illegal in private vehicles but a car seat isn't required in a taxi. See here: www.childcarseats.org.uk/law/index.htm

If you're not going to take the car seat with you, I would either get a taxi (you could ring in advance to book one and ask if they have a stage 0 car seat) or could your friend ask around and see if she could borrow one off someone for the time you're there?

Definitely don't put the seatbelt around both you and your baby as your body weight will crush them in an accident.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

The car seat exception for 'unexpected necessities' is only for children over 3 years old - I didn't realise this either!

[LadyBiscuit]

If your car seat fits into your pushchair, I would take it with you (you can carry your baby onto the plane in it) then you've always got it whenever you need it.

[missslc]

Thanks everyone,yes- i thought that about the belt and then my mum threw me by suggesting it. So the law is that only in taxis you can have no car seat- that is useful to know- gosh that will be an expensive weekend then if i have to taxi it everywhere for the whole weekend- maybe i will not bother with the weekend after all.....
I have friends with kids in the city i will visit but they use their car seats i imagine.

Well at least I know what the law is- i had to insist to my parents that they have a car seat, before they collect me at the airport as they thought we could do a 200 mile journey with baby in my lap- things have really changed since we were kids.my dad who was a copper insisted it was legal- he is now aware of the law on it!!

[winnybella]

Well, law is one thing but surely you wouldn't be risking your child's life by not putting him in the car seat?
Frankly, I can't imagine anyone would even consider it now ( unlike in the 70s when the knowledge about dangers of not putting your kid in it wasn't so widespread as it is now).
Take a car seat with you on the train- I have done it.

[missslc]

okay- maybe i should look into bringing my push chair and car seat with me on the plane- i assumed i could then bring no luggage as the weight will be the entire allowance just about.
Family have got me a separate push chair to borrow and car seat but i don't think they are compatible so it would be tough carrying them through london on trains and tube to get to station.

It is odd because of course we all want our babies to be safe but the law is not really consistent- I can go on the bus with no restraint and the plane and a taxi but not a trusted friend's car.I mean some of the bus drivers in london are pretty lethal and i have been on 2 buses in accidents over the years but never a car accident.

cheers for clarification

[LadyBiscuit]

I know what you mean about buses - it's slightly mad. Your pushchair and carseat don't count towards your weight allowance though if that's any comfort

[missslc]

well winny bella- what about all the people unable to have a car who take their babies on the bus- are they risking their child's life every time they get the bus?I guess so- same on trains really.

So not only do people consider travelling with a baby with no seat they do every day on public transport.

Many Life Choices involve minimising risk and i suspect there are many risky things we do that we are less aware of that sometime involve our children. The fact is that in the thousands of car journeys i have taken I have never been in an accident but on less bus journeys i have been in 2 accidents so probability suggests that it is safer to get in a car than get on a bus, but on the latter there is no requirement for a seat-so are all those people putting their children at risk?

The car seat i am borrowing has no handle on it so would be difficult to carry anywhere- which is why I have been puzzling over what people do.

I just cannot see why buses are exempt if we are all so adamant about the necessity of car seats?

[winnybella]

I agree with you re buses, but I think the statistics would show that there aren't that many deadly bus accidents in the UK, while there's a lot of serious car accidents.

[missslc]

Thanks guys- i did not know that about the luggage allowance- you mums on here are an amazing resource. I guess i can take the car seat on the plane which may mean i can put him in it on the floor? I mean if i am in a plane crash it cannot be safe having a baby in your lap clearly??i am sure that is unlikely but it is possible.

[winnybella]

I think your baby will get his own seatbelt that attaches to yours for take-off and landing. Rather difficult to keep him in it for the entire flight.
No need to be sarcastic, of course you can't protect your child from everything and sometimes you have to make choices etc.
About the car seat, though, there's no discussion: lots of children die every year because they weren't in the car seats.Statistics aren't the smae for busus or planes, are they?
Trusted friend or no, it could be someone else that causes the accident.

[missslc]

yes i appreciate that winnybella- i suppose because the journey i will make by car is on slow local roads iam aware that it is a low risk journey- anyway i may just be able to bring my own car seat now that people have explained about the luggage allowance.

many thanks everyone for enlightening me on the law.

[winnybella]

*same and buses

[missslc]

winnybella-i appreciate your points and i wasn't being sarcastic. The whole thing has made me think of those situations where we don't have protection devices for our kids- like planes or buses. What are we not doing now that we may look back at and wonder that we could be so blase- like mobile phones and the link with brain cancer- not that i let my baby use that but you know what I mean.we never used seat belts in the past and now it is illegal to not have one,people smoked when pregnant- now it is frowned on- we wore nylon nighties to fry sausages.now weknow better.

It is of course important to minimise risks when anyone's life is at stake.

[SqueezyB]

I would get your friend to ask around now if she can borrow one from someone. If she has friends with kids often they will have moved up to the toddler car seat so will have an infant carrier knocking around in the attic, I know we do!(though it will be in use again in less than 10 weeks now...)

Otherwise, get her to go on the local freecycle www.uk.freecycle.org/ , where people give things away for free, I have seen carseats on our local one before. Or you can even buy a second hand one, check out ebay and local rags etc.

Failing that, if it is JUST the trip from the train station to her house and it's not very far then I would probably do it, but not if we were going to be ferrying around in the car all weekend. I've done it out of necessity with my 2 year old a couple of times (once the car broke down and a friend had to come and help me pick her up from nursery, once we were buying a new car and had gone there by bus) and both times it was a complete pain as DD was so wriggly!

[pinchmeimustbedreaming]

miss- i dont drive and use buses trains alot and although my ds has never left the country i know for a fact that there will be staff on hand to help you with carrying luggage baby etc. i think there are alot of people who choose not to use baby safety equipment when travelling just because its less hassle. if i use a taxi bus or train i always struggle with my ds car seat i would rather that than struggle living my life without him. although i would choose to use a car seat on a plane if the plane were to crash not sure a seat would be of that much help but it would be helpful if you were to experience turbulance. i really do urge you to use a seat whatever your method of transport. would you ever forgive yourself if that 1 journey you made was the 1 journey you had an accident. hope you have a safe holiday and enjoy!

[lal123]

MIss -re taking car seat on plane - you won't be able to take hte car seat into the cabin with you - it will have to go into the hold.

[ronshar]

Depends on which airline.
Most staff will stand there and watch you struggle I'm afraid. Especially Ryan Air. Bastards. I wont travel with them ever again as I nearly dropped DD1 down the stairs getting off the plane and they just looked at me. Not one of them moved to offer to help me.

Also you can not use a car seat on a plane as they dont have proper harness to strap seat in. Baby sits on your lap with another lap belt attached to yours.
Not ideal but lets face it if the plane crashes a car seat wont really help!