• The Essex Casualty Reduction Board
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The Law

Children under three years of age travelling in any vehicle (including vans and other goods vehicles) must use a child restraint appropriate for their weight.

There is only one exception - a child under three years of age may travel unrestrained in the rear of a taxi if an appropriate restraint is not available.

Rear-facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protected by a frontal air bag - unless the air bag has been deactivated (manually or automatically).

In vehicles where seatbelts are fitted, children aged over three years but measuring up to 135cm in height (approx 4ft 5ins) MUST use an appropriate child restraint.

There are three exceptions to this, which enable these children to travel in the rear and use an adult belt.

• In a taxi, if the right child restraint is not available.
• For an ‘occasional journey’ over a short distance, if the right child restraint is not available.
• And in circumstances where two occupied child seats in the rear prevent the fitment of a third child seat.

 For more information concerning Child Car Seats please click here to be redirected to the RoSPA website.