Installation

Shopping for a new car is stressful enough, but if you’re planning to keep your existing child seats, there’s an extra layer of homework involved. Not all vehicles are created equal when it comes to car seat compatibility – even cars that look identical in size can behave very differently once you try to install seats in them. The best thing you can do? Take your seats with you when viewing cars. Install them fully, not just place them on the seats, and check for proper stabi

Many parents are surprised to learn that rear facing in the front passenger seat is not only legal in the UK, but can be completely safe when done correctly. In some families and some vehicles, it is not just acceptable but the best and safest option. Here’s what parents really need to know. Is Rear Facing in the Front Legal? Yes. It is legal to rear face in the front passenger seat as long as the front passenger airbag is fully deactivated. A rear-facing seat must never be u

When you install a car seat, especially a heavier ERF seat, it’s normal to worry about dents, pressure marks or scuffs on your vehicle’s upholstery. The good news is that you can protect your seats safely - as long as you use products that do not interfere with the car seat installation. Here’s what’s safe, what to avoid, and how to protect both your child and your interior. Do I Need a Seat Protector? Not always - but many parents choose to use one to help reduce pressure de

Parents often hear all sorts of advice about where their child “should” sit, and the “middle seat is always safest” myth pops up constantly. In reality, there is no universal safest spot. The safest position is the one furthest from the point of impact…and unless you own a crystal ball, there’s no way to predict where that will be. Because crashes are unpredictable, the most important rule is simple: the safest place is wherever your child’s seat installs correctly and secure

If you’ve ever looked in the rear-view mirror and seen your child’s head flopped forward while sleeping in the car, you’re not alone. It’s a common sight - and a common concern. But when does head flop matter from a safety point of view, and what can you do about it? What is head flop? Headflop is the forward dropping of a child’s head when they fall asleep in the car, sometimes when they are seated too upright, unsupported or when the harness is too loose. It can also happen

You’ve buckled in the seat, given it a shake - and it still seems to move more than you expected. It’s a common worry for parents: “Shouldn’t it feel completely solid?” In some cases, movement is completely normal - but in others, it could point to an installation issue that needs fixing. Here’s how to tell the difference. Some movement is normal - but not everywhere When checking for movement, always test the seat only at the belt path or ISOFIX points - the area where the s

When it comes to car seat safety, most people are familiar with ISOFIX and seatbelt installations - but fewer know about lower tethers, even though they play an important role in securing certain seats. So what exactly are they, and why do some car seats use them? What are lower tethers? Lower tethers are additional straps attached to all extended rear-facing car seats that go up to 25kg or 36kg. These tethers anchor the seat to fixed points in your vehicle - usually the meta

When shopping for a car seat, ISOFIX is one of the first features you will hear about. It sounds technical, but it simply means a way of attaching the car seat directly to the vehicle chassis rather than using the seatbelt. It is widely promoted as safer and easier, but ISOFIX is not essential - and it is not always the best option for every child or car. What ISOFIX actually is ISOFIX is a standard anchorage system built into most modern vehicles. It allows compatible seats