School trip coach seating

[banannabreadforme]

Hi ladies. Not sure if in the right topics. 4 yr old son is going on
a school trip with his class in a coach. The coach has seatbelts. One of the parents this morning was upset because they won't be in a car seat (this honestly hadn't occurred to me). Could any one advise on the rules?
Thank you

It's fine and legal to not be in a car seat on coach, bus or private taxi.

Does the coach have booster seats for the children?

I was born in the 60s and remember life without any seat belts or baby seats. They are a good thing, in case you think I don't believe that.
Belt on coach would be fine.

The seatbelts may be height adjustable.

No the coach doesn't have booster seat sashh

Don't need a car seat on a coach. The coach will have seatbelts

While you legally don't need a seatbelt to travel on a coach, I'm the same as the parent in your child's class OP, and there is no way I would let my four year old travel without a car seat, legal or not. I would/have driven her to the destination in that situation.

but you wouldn't take a car seat on public transport, would You?

Coach seatbelts are usually lap belt only. There's not many car seats that are safe with just a lap belt.
I think you need to unclench it'll be fine.

Hmmmm, not sure a seat belt will work for a 5 year old, how will it fit?

While you legally don't need a seatbelt to travel on a coach, I'm the same as the parent in your child's class OP, and there is no way I would let my four year old travel without a car seat, legal or not

So whenever you go on a bus or a train you take a car seat then?

@WitchesHatRim

Nope. Wouldn't go on a bus with my children, no. I've never needed to, always been somewhere we could drive to. We do go on trains, but I'm fairly sure there hasn't been a single death caused by a train in over ten years (apart from suicides), whereas there are over 7,000 accidents a year with buses and coaches, and last year over 800 serious injuries and 80 fatalities. Coach and bus use for children as young as four when they aren't restrained in proper car seats just isn't something I cant endorse.

It's like parents who let their kids scoot without a helmet - I'm sure plenty do and have no accidents at all, or just minor ones, but the risk is there and it's easy to prevent it, so why take the risk?

Not quite the same as taking a local bus with your kid, unless you take a bus that uses motorways like a coach often does (obviously depends where your school trip is going to).

If it was a short and very local coach journey I'd be inclined to be fine with it. If it involves faster A roads or motorways I'd be less happy as any accident is much more likely to be disastrous at the speeds involved, and I'd want a safer seating arrangement.

It normal and legal due to the practicalities involved.

Legally now they should have seatbelts (can remember when they dont)