Our children are our most precious possessions and car seat safety comes first when transporting them in the car. That is why making sure that they are safely secured in the best car seat for their size is one of a parent’s most important duties.

An appropriate child car seat is one which:

• Conforms to the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) regulations
• Is the correct one for the child's weight and size
• Is correctly fitted according to the manufacturer's instructions

Children’s car seats are divided into categories, according to the weight of the children for whom they are suitable. These correspond broadly to different age groups, but it is the weight of the child that is most important when deciding what type of child car seat to use. Some child seats can be converted as the child grows and, therefore, fit into more than one group or stage.

The main types are:

Rearward-facing Baby Seats (commonly known as the “Snug ‘n Safe”)

These baby carriers can be used in the car for babies up to 10 kgs (roughly from birth to 6-9 months) but MAY NOT be used in the front seat of cars with passenger air bags as inflation can be fatal for a baby. If your car has a front passenger air bag, rather use the back seat.

It is also safer to put them in the back of the car as rearward-facing seats provide greater protection for the baby's head, neck and spine than forward-facing seats. So, it is best to keep your baby in a rearward-facing seat for as long as possible. Only move them to a forward-facing seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the baby seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.

 Forward-facing child seat

These are ideal for children weighing 9-18 kgs (roughly from 9 months - 4 years). Once children have outgrown a rearwards facing seat, the best option is to use a seat with an integral harness; the large area of the harness helps to reduce the risk of injury if there is a crash. The bottom attachment between the legs will also prevent the child from sliding under, and out of, the harness.

They can be used in the front or back of the car, but it is safer to put them in the back, especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front.

Once again, it is safest to keep children in this type of system until they have outgrown it. Only move your child to a booster seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the child seat.

Booster seats and booster cushions

Booster seats can be used right up to the age of 11 years and are often designed to be converted into a booster cushion by detaching the back rest. (You should always check the manufacturer’s advice about when and how to do this.)

Booster seats and booster cushions do not have a harness to hold the child in place. The adult seat belt goes around the child and the seat. It is therefore important that the seat belt is correctly adjusted. The basic points to note are:

• The belt should be worn as tight as possible
• The lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not the stomach
• The diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder, not the neck

When children first move out of the forward-facing child seats into booster seats and cushions, initially, ones with backs may provide a better fit for the seat belt.

Booster seats with side wings will also help to prevent injury in a side impact by protecting a child's head, and on several seats, the height of the side wings can be adjusted as the child grows. Just like other child car seats, it is always safer to install them in the back of the car.

 Remember to purchase a new car seat for your child as soon as they have outgrown their old ones and you will be going a long way to ensure that your child is safe on the road.