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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

8 year old 140cm high

11 replies

wasonthelist · 09/04/2016 20:05

DD is 140cm tall so above the limit for needing a car seat. I have just got a smaller car (Ford Puma) and fitting her car seat in the back isn't easy. Is it safer to put her in the her seat but in front, or put her in the back with a booster seat?

Or something else?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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QueenMolotov · 09/04/2016 20:12

I believe you can legally ditch the car seat once the child is either 12yo OR 135cms tall - whichever comes first. I'm happy to be corrected, but I'm pretty sure those are the current rules.

My 7yo dd is 132cms tall and I'm planning on not using her seat once she is 135cms. In your situation, then, I'd say no need for the car seat.

AveEldon · 09/04/2016 20:22

She is tall enough not to need a booster anymore
She is safer in the back imho

Original poster

wasonthelist · 10/04/2016 00:24

Even though she is legal without the seat - will she be safer in it?

OP posts:

JellyTipisthebest · 10/04/2016 06:09

this is a 5 point test to see if they need one, it really depends on your car www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.pdf

AliceMum09 · 10/04/2016 08:49

My son is 145cm tall and 10 1/2. He says he's still comfortable in our Britax high backed booster so that's what he uses.

I asked advice at a Good Egg car seat checking clinic and they agreed that the lap part of the seatbelt was too high on his abdomen if he sat in the car without using some form of child seat. Sometimes he uses a backless booster in the middle of the back seat of our car.

It's not just a case of ditching the booster as soon as your child hits 135cm tall. The 5-step test is really essential to follow, and in most of the rest of Europe the limit is 150cm. Going on our experience that's a more realistic height than 135cm.

AveEldon · 10/04/2016 09:43

She's safer in the seat if she's still comfortable in it
The back seat is usually safer than the front seat
Do you have an airbag in the front?
If so it's best to put the front seat as far back as possible if she is sitting there

GreenMarkerPen · 10/04/2016 09:46

def safer in the seat in the back.
if you have airbags in the front, don't put a child there.

Original poster

wasonthelist · 10/04/2016 09:52

Thanks all, appreciated.

OP posts:

AliceMum09 · 10/04/2016 13:36

Your car manual will tell you what to do about child seats in the front.

In my car if a child is in a forward facing seat in the front it says to leave the airbag on and slide the seat half way back along the rail.

The trouble with pushing the car's seat all the way back is that you might push it further back than the seatbelt anchorage points. If the seatbelt has to go towards the back of the car before it then feeds into the child seat that's not safe.

Haudyerwheesht · 10/04/2016 13:40

Ds has just turned 9 and is 142cm tall. He has travelled without a booster once or twice in a emergency and there's no way I'd risk it all the time. The belt is way too
High.

AndNowItsSeven · 10/04/2016 13:42

Yes she will be safer in the seat. In Europe the height limit is 150cm. The 135cm is a minimum height it doesn't mean children should stop using car seats as soon as they reach that height.

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