New car restraint regulations discussed today on radio4

[TinyGang]

The programme 'You and Yours' have been discussing the new in car child restraint regulations today on Radio4. Remember the ones we've all been discussing on here and thought were confusing?

You can listen again via the \link{http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/\Radio4 page} here. (I can't seem to get it to work but my PC has undergone some changes lately and needs a fiddle with, I think.) Anyway, sounded like it might answer a few of our questions.

and on radio 1 at the moment!

I just found this on the Child Car Seat website. Might be helpful.

The law on using child restraints in cars is going to change. By May 2006, the law will require children travelling in cars to use child restraints.

The Department for Transport issued its long awaited consultation about child car seat use on the 13th June 2005. The consultation discusses how European Directive 2003/20/EC is implemented.

The Consultation Paper Child Seats consultation paper is available on the DfT website.

The key proposals are that:

All children under 3 years old must use an appropriate child restraint when travelling in a car or goods vehicle (except in a taxi if a child seat is not available);
Children aged 3 or more years old and up to 135 cms (approx 4 ft 5 inches) in height must use an appropriate child restraint when travelling in cars or goods vehicles fitted with seat belts (few exceptions are permitted);
Rear-facing baby seats must not be used in seats with active frontal air-bag;
All child restraints must conform to modern safety standards, meaning UN-ECE Regulation 44.03 (to apply from May 2008); and
Where seat belts are provided, the number of people carried in the rear of vehicles may not exceed the number of seats available fitted with seat belts or child restraints (to apply from May 2009).
It is hoped that new legislation will prevent around 2000 child deaths and injuries per year.

If i remember correctly the simple way some one explained this to me was ....there is at the moment a loop hole and the law states that children 3 years and up to 135cms are to be in an appropriate restraint (if one is avaliable) ....the if avaliable bit has been taken out.

Im sure there are other small changes but they said this is the biggest change in the new law.

Daily Mail has an article today about it. States it applies from September though so is the Uk law change still May ?

Not sure Lizs. The law may be adopted (or whatever tech name is) in May but not be enforceable until Sept. Speculating really.