Many of us are now becoming more aware of the importance of using the correct child restraint when we have children travelling with us in the car. Councils and charities are doing a good job in raising awareness and free child seat checks are available in many areas. // Those of us who drive abroad should remember that laws relating to child restraints are often different from those in the UK. Victoria Gallanders, a solicitor in our travel law team has been investigating the situation in order to provide practical help to parents and carers.
The facts
In a collision an unrestrained child can be thrown forward with a force of up to 60 times their body weight, even when the vehicle is travelling slowly.
Being thrown with this amount of force not only puts the child at risk of serious injury, but they could also seriously injure or even kill other passengers inside the vehicle. Small children are also at risk of being thrown through a window in a collision.
Victoria said: “It is vital that our children are correctly restrained when travelling by car. This can only be done by using the correct child seat and seatbelt. Sitting with a child on your lap is not a safe way to travel, because in a crash, no matter how strongly you try to hold onto your child, they would be torn from your arms.”
The law
In 2006 the law regarding child seats in England changed. Your legal obligations now depend on the age and height of your child. Since this change in the law, there have been many efforts to increase awareness of car safety requirements. However, it is easy for parents to forget that the law is different in different countries.
The European Union has created new laws to harmonise child car safety across Europe. Local laws are not however always the same in each country and outside of Europe there are even larger variations in the law.
Some foreign countries have stricter laws than England. For example, the age at which children can travel in the front seat can vary from country to country.
Some countries have less strict rules than we are used to in England. Parents may therefore want to make sure that their children are safe, even if local laws do not seem to require the same measures that we are used to in England.
What you can do
Victoria Gallanders has a number of recommendations for families when driving abroad: “When driving your own car abroad, you should research the countries that you will be driving in. Make sure that your car seats comply with local laws, as you could face fines or criminal charges if you do not carry children safely. Your travel agent or the country’s Embassy should be able to assist you with any questions that you have.”
Those hiring a car while abroad should also take steps to ensure their children are safe. Victoria said: “If you hire a car when you get to your destination, again you should do some preparation ahead of your visit. Hiring a car seat from the car hire company can be expensive, so it may be worth taking your own. If you do take your own, you should make sure that your car seat complies with the laws of the country you are travelling to. If you are flying to your destination, you may also wish to check with your airline to see if you will have to pay excess luggage charges."
Wherever you choose to travel with your family, drive safely and have a good holiday!