News

Call to change UK car seat guidance so children are rear facing until age four

Families Research
Campaigners are calling for an urgent update to guidance to advise children remain in rear-facing car seats until the age of four to reduce their risk of serious neck and head injuries if involved in a collision.
PHOTO: AxKid

According to Swedish child car sear specialists, despite the fact rear-facing car seats offer the highest level of protection if children are involved in a car crash, just 22 per cent of two-four-year-olds in the UK remain in them.

In contrast, 83 per cent of Swedish parents surveyed said their children of the same age remain in rear-facing car seats.

AxKid, the Swedish child car seat specialist surveyed 1,000 UK and 1,000 Swedish parents.

It found that 15 per cent of UK parents with children under two, and 14 per cent of parents with children aged two to four, do not always ensure their child uses a car seat – ‘leaving thousands of children unprotected’. Some parents have a child car seat, but do not strap their child in, found the survey.

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