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Motoring news

Report shows parents want better child seat information

24/01/2012

According to a new report out today, parents and car insurance policy holders feel there is a lack of information regarding children's car seat safety.

The report also says neither retailers, manufacturers or the government are educating parents on the correct usage of car seats for children.

"Despite numerous studies stating that rear facing car seats are up to five times safer for children, our research exposes a shocking lack of awareness, information and availability of rear facing car seats in the UK," the report said.

"Legal guidelines in Scandinavian countries and the United States advise parents to keep their child in a rear facing car seat until the age of four, or within the optimal weight range of 16 - 25kg.

"This follows numerous studies revealing that children are 'significantly safer' from serious injury or death during a collision while travelling in this manner."

The study surveyed 1,000 parents, showing seven out of ten parents did not know that rear facing car seats were available for children up to four years of age.

52 per cent of parents said they would buy rear-facing seats if they were more widely available, while another four out of ten parents believed the government should officially advise parents to keep their child in a rearward facing seat until the age of four.

However, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning told the Daily Mail the use of these seats can be difficult: "We recognise that a properly fitted rear-facing child seat is likely to offer better protection in a frontal impact crash than a forward facing seat."

"However, reports suggest many of these car seats are difficult to use and so could be installed incorrectly - meaning they may be less effective in the event of an accident."

Mr Penning says his department is currently working to create revised international standards for child car seats. This will feature a new requirement for children up to fifteen months old to use rear-facing seats.