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Child safety in cars

The law and guidance on keeping children safe in cars.

Children are one of the most vulnerable people in our society, and no parent or guardian would knowingly put a child’s life in danger.  However, an astonishing number of parents allow their children to travel in vehicles without being properly restrained, placing their lives and safety at risk. 

 

 

Between 2021 and 2025, there were 38 fatalities aged 0-15 years and 620 seriously injured road users aged 0-15 years. This age group represented 5% of total fatalities, and 8% of total serious injuries during this time period.  Of the 658 children killed or seriously injured, almost half (48%) were pedestrians, over a quarter (26%) were passengers, a sixth (17%) were cyclists, 5% were e-scooter users, 2% were motorcyclists and 2% were drivers.

More information is available  in the Child Casualties Report 2021-2025

 

 

Golden Rules for Child Car Seat Safety

Choose a car seat that is suitable for your child’s height and weight, and always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. (Link to child car seats guide)

Children must travel in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 15 months old.  Safety experts recommend keeping children rear-facing for as long as possible.  Rear-facing seats provide better protection for a child’s head, neck and spine.

A correctly installed car seat significantly improves protection for your child in a collision. Always follow both the car seat manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle owner’s manual to ensure the seat is fitted correctly.  For added peace of mind, you can visit our ‘Check it Fits’ service, where one of our experts will inspect your car seat installation, confirm it is fitted correctly, and answer any questions you may have.   ‘Check it Fits’ is a free, full-time nationwide service.  You can find details of upcoming ‘Check it Fits’ locations here.

The back seat is the safest place for children in a car. 


Make sure the harness is snug, flat and not twisted.   Avoid bulky clothing (especially thick winter coats and puffy jackets) as they can compress during a collision, leaving extra slack in the harness.  A harness that seems tight before a collision may become loose when the padding compresses increasing the risk of injury or ejection.  

Many aftermarket products (items not supplied with or specifically approved by the car seat manufacturer) have not been tested with your particular car seat and may affect its performance in a collision.  Examples of accessories that may be unapproved include:

  • Head supports
  • Strap covers or harness pads
  • Toys that attach to the harness

You should only use accessories that come with the car seat or are explicitly approved by the car seat manufacturer for that specific model.

Anything that changes how the child harness, or seat functions can potentially affect collision protection.

 

Download our Child Safety in Cars Booklet 2025 pdf | 2142 KB

The law 

  • Drivers have a legal responsibility to ensure that all passengers under 17 are appropriately restrained in the vehicle.
  • All children under 150cm in height or 36kg in weight must use a child restraint system (CRS) suitable for their height and weight while travelling in a car or goods vehicle (except taxis). 
  • It is illegal to place a rear-facing child car seat in the front passenger seat where there is an active airbag.
  • Children must travel in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 15 months old.  Safety experts recommend keeping children rear-facing for as long as possible.

Safety standards

Since 1 September 2024, child seats approved to Regulation R44 can no longer be sold by retailers, marketplaces, and e-commerce in the EU. 

Seats made available from these suppliers must now comply with Regulation R129. 

Child seats approved to R129 have undergone more rigorous testing and provide improved head and neck protection compared to seats approved to the previous R44 regulation. 

It's important to understand that consumers can still use a seat which conforms to R44 which was purchased prior to 1 September 2024.

UN Regulation No 129 pdf | 715 KB When buying a child car seat, you should always look for the ‘E’ mark. 

ISOFix and i-Size

ISOFIX

  • A built-in system that lets you attach a child car seat directly to your car’s chassis
  • Uses metal anchor points instead of a seat belt
  • Reduces the risk of incorrect installation
  • Often includes visual indicators to confirm it’s fitted properly

i-Size

  • A European safety standard for car seats (Also known as R129)
  • Requires rear-facing car seats for longer (at least until 15 months)
  • Classifies seats by child’s height rather than weight
  • Includes improved side-impact protection testing
  • Designed to work with ISOFIX systems for better compatibility
  • Since September, 2024, only child car seats approved under R129 (iSize) standard  can be sold within the EU.  However, child car seats certified under the older R44 standard that are already in use remain legal and can continue to be used.

ISOFIX is how the seat attaches to the car, while I-Size is the safety standard the seat is built to meet.

Problem behaviours

Some children go through a phase of constantly slipping out of the child seat harness or safety belt, or incorrectly adjusting straps or seatbelts, or releasing the buckle during journeys.  It could be serious or even fatal for a child if the manufacturer guidelines are not carefully followed. 

You should check that: 

  • the harness or seat belt is adjusted correctly to your child, in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines 
  • your child is comfortable

Incorrectly adjusted harness straps may cause your child to be uncomfortable leading them to push straps off or open buckles.  

Dangers of leaving children unattended in cars 

Infants and young children should never be left unattended in a vehicle, even for a short time. A parked car can become dangerous very quickly, and children may be exposed to a number of hazards, including:

  • Overheating, particularly on warm or sunny days
  • Fire or smoke in the vehicle
  • Accidental injury or entrapment, including from electronically operated windows
  • The risk of the vehicle moving, particularly if car keys are left inside and the child can access them

Never leave your child alone in a vehicle, even if you are only stepping away for a few minutes.

Premature and low birth-weight babies

If you have a premature or low birth-weight baby, ask the hospital to assess if it is safe for the baby to travel in a baby seat before you are discharged. If you are in any doubt at all about your child travelling in the car, consult the hospital or your GP for further advice.

 

 

 

Child seats

Child car seats advice from the RSA. Child car seat types. Choosing a child car seat. Fitting a child car seat. Check it Fits expert service. Code of practice.

Driveway safety

We can't expect children to take responsibility for their own safety so it's up to us to take the necessary steps to protect them. The videos below offer step-by-step guidance on the different checks and routines you can carry out when travelling with children or in areas where children may be exposed to danger such as driveways, housing estates and near schools.