Children in the front seat of cars

[yoyo]

Is it illegal to have a child (not a baby in a rear facing car seat) under the age of ten in the front seat if there are seats available in the back? I am sure I have read something to this effect but cannot think where. Then again, it seems unlikely as so many parents allow it. If anyone has the definitive answer I'd be very grateful.

"appropriate child restraint" is usually defined as a seat suitable for the weight/size/age of the child ie. Group 0/0+,1,2 or 3. so for older kids over 15kgs it could still be a basic booster cushion only even though the safety guidelines suggest something like 22kg before using a backless booster seat.

I wonder if, for older children, you can get away with a seatbelt adjuster rather than a booster seat?

Would think it needs to have been approved by BS to qualify.

But it has that opt-out "if available" in the chart at the bottom. So does that mean that there is still no obligation to ensure a booster seat or cushion is available? And, if not, why change the law because those children who do not currently use one still won't and those that do will continue to do so.

but it still says "and when no child restraint or an insufficient number are available, an adult seat belt may be used in the rear of cars and light vans on occasional journeys over a short distance." which sounds like a sodding great loophole to me.

I think there is going ot be more emphasis on them being available for regular runs although they may make exceptions for odd car sharing.

It's all very confusing imo. The directive is just what was discussed, it was all going to be decided on 5/9/05, but I can't find anything that is absolutely definitively 'this is the law as of may 2006'

There was a huge consultation document about it but suspect the actual resulting change will be minimal , let alone resourcing the policing of it.

So Mothercare are just talking it up to boost profits then .

Possibly , but then who is going to read the Mothercare site anyway when their child is past school age !

vicimelly, some of the good minicab firms near to us carry boosters (they probably expect people to have their own baby seats, if they need them) and when i visited my sil in Germany, it was a matter of course that they carried them.

ok im a little confused so some advice would be great
i have a 3 yr old son and his forward facing seat is in the front of my car is this allowed he is the correct weight for it, but have heard people saying (in rl) that he shouldnt be put in the front

I think the new law is going to state that they should be in the rear seats where possible. Certainly it is legally ok to do that now unless you have active airbags inw hich case it is elss than ideal safetywise at any time.

sorry to say this, but i'm completely baffled now! as far as i knew, everyone has to use a seatbelt now anyway, right? so,if my kids are seatbelted in with no c/s or b/s they're still ok,right? also, in taxis-which i use quite alot-same applies, right?