New child seat laws

[landyladies]

Does anyone know for sure if it's still legal to carry my 6 year old (she's under the height limit) in the side facing rear seats of my defender without a booster?  This was a FAQ on the DTI site which I don't understand,

"15. My vehicle has sideways facing seats in the rear. Does that make a difference?

Yes! Some vehicles such as camper vans and four-wheel drive vehicles are fitted with sideways facing rear seats. A child restraint in a sideways facing seat does not meet the legal requirements. A child restraint has to be fitted to an approved anchorage, which does not include a seat belt on a sideways facing seat. Therefore a child restraint cannot be used on such a seat."


Many thanks,
Emma and Amelia
(I hope I've done this right as it's my first question)

[bezzabsa]

well if i read that right, then NO she doesnt need a booster etc on a sideways facing seat.. as it doesnt provide adequate anchorage (phew)
that law is well confusing.. 4' 5" or over 12 years old.. so if your 13 and 4' you dont need a booster - but 11 and 5 foor you do ???????????
my niece would have loved this law - at 11 she was 6' :D:D
shes just turned 17 and is about 6'8"... :shock:
suffered from (excuse the spelling) sotts syndrome) and parents were told that she would hacve a growth spurt until she was approx 10 , and would then stop growing and be short for her age.....oh well!!

[bezzabsa]

All children under 12 years old must have the appropriate restraint whether it is a full child seat or a booster seat, unless they are taller than 135 cm (about 4 foot 5 inches).

doesnt that contradict the official stance?????
this law really is confusing!!!!
means we have to have 2 boosters and 1 car seat in the back of our car???????????

[Jake]

My youngest (9) is 135cms tall
<phew>
No car seats required
 :P

[Sooty]

Does anyone know for sure if it's still legal to carry my 6 year old (she's under the height limit) in the side facing rear seats of my defender without a booster?  This was a FAQ on the DTI site which I don't understand,

"15. My vehicle has sideways facing seats in the rear. Does that make a difference?

Yes! Some vehicles such as camper vans and four-wheel drive vehicles are fitted with sideways facing rear seats. A child restraint in a sideways facing seat does not meet the legal requirements. A child restraint has to be fitted to an approved anchorage, which does not include a seat belt on a sideways facing seat. Therefore a child restraint cannot be used on such a seat."

The way I read that is,you cannot fit a child seat or booster seat in the rear side faceing seats of your Defender as the anchorage point are not approved, also it is against the law to carry a child under 13 years of age and under 4 foot 5 inches without a child or booster seat.
Therefore your 6 year old cannot travel in the rear side faceing seat at any time.
They must travel in the rear forward faceing seat with an appropriate seat or booster fitted (I know some Defender 90s don't have them but nobody told the numpties that wrote the rules)
Child or booster seats cannot be fitted in the front seats of a vehicle (read the book you get with them). ](*,)  ](*,)  ](*,)

[Manicminer]

Child or booster seats cannot be fitted in the front seats of a vehicle (read the book you get with them). ](*,)  ](*,)  ](*,)

Unless you have the airbag disarmed, or your vehicle doesn't have one(subject to the particular type of seat you have).

[Sooty]

According to the book that came with the booster seat I had to buy to take my grandson in my car you cannot fit it in the front seat even if the airbag is disabled.
Must be in a forward faceing rear seat with a 3 piont seat belt.

[sleeplessparadise]

According to LRO this month children under 4 foot 5 cannot travel in the side facing seats any more. Also in response to the 2 boosters and a child seat....... no it states that one of the exemptions is if 2 boosters are already being used precluding the use of a third seat........ so a third child could be transported without the use of a booster or child seat if there are already 2 other child seats or boosters in use.

[landyladies]

Oh dear, by the sound of things, I need to sell the 90 :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

 

Emma

[landyladies]

oops! (pressed submit twice) :oops:

[landyladies]

According to LRO this month children under 4 foot 5 cannot travel in the side facing seats any more.

So if you have more than 1 child, under 4'5", you can't have a 90CSW, & I can't take my neighbour's child to school anymore. Who are these idiots who make these laws!!

Emma

[smo]

I read this crap the other day, i also own a 90 CSW and have 2 kids falling under the new law.

SOD EM! is my reply, i drive a 26K vehicle that was manufactured before the law, so unless they wish to pay a whole heap for a professional conversion to make it fit their silly new rules i shall continue to carry the kids as per usual in the side facing seats.

[landyladies]

Thankyou "smo" I'll be adopting your stance.
We'll see what happens when the police pull us over.
I'm sure Jeff said there is a policeman on the site who gives good advice. Do you know who that is? perhaps he can give us some guidance?

Emma

[smo]

At the end of the day Emma our vehicles were built before they change the law, we cannot be expected to sell or replace our vehicles on a whim because of them, so unless they pay out for the change, or for my loss due to reduced value then they can go jump  :twisted:

[mad mik]

I read this crap the other day, i also own a 90 CSW and have 2 kids falling under the new law.

SOD EM! is my reply, i drive a 26K vehicle that was manufactured before the law, so unless they wish to pay a whole heap for a professional conversion to make it fit their silly new rules i shall continue to carry the kids as per usual in the side facing seats.

oh my god, are you realy going to ignore a law that was intended to protect your children? what is more valuable your land rover or your kids? do your best to make sure there safe. ask yourself the question what would happen if some other fool was to hit you at 70 with no tax, insurance or licence? it happens. please do all that you can to protect what is the most valuable thing you have, fit forward facing seats in the back, it can be done and its worth the money if just for the peace of mind.
sorry to preach but nothing winds me up more than people who do not secure thier precious cargo, i was a fireman for 9 years and never want to see again what happens when you don't

[dazzawhipple]

=D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>  =D>


Good posting above

Darren

[Horness]

oh my god, are you realy going to ignore a law that was intended to protect your children? what is more valuable your land rover or your kids? do your best to make sure there safe. ask yourself the question what would happen if some other fool was to hit you at 70 with no tax, insurance or licence? it happens. please do all that you can to protect what is the most valuable thing you have, fit forward facing seats in the back, it can be done and its worth the money if just for the peace of mind.
sorry to preach but nothing winds me up more than people who do not secure thier precious cargo, i was a fireman for 9 years and never want to see again what happens when you don't

 =D>

I've been amazed by some of the responses this new law has received.  We're talking about the safety of our children here, not necessarily from our own actions, but by those less thoughtful.

Although it does not really affect me as both my children are under 12 and are in child seats anyway, I've never let them travel in my vehicle without being correctly strapped in, and I certainly would not let them travel in someone else's vehicle without their booster/child seats.

[smo]

I read this crap the other day, i also own a 90 CSW and have 2 kids falling under the new law.

SOD EM! is my reply, i drive a 26K vehicle that was manufactured before the law, so unless they wish to pay a whole heap for a professional conversion to make it fit their silly new rules i shall continue to carry the kids as per usual in the side facing seats.

oh my god, are you realy going to ignore a law that was intended to protect your children? what is more valuable your land rover or your kids? do your best to make sure there safe. ask yourself the question what would happen if some other fool was to hit you at 70 with no tax, insurance or licence? it happens. please do all that you can to protect what is the most valuable thing you have, fit forward facing seats in the back, it can be done and its worth the money if just for the peace of mind.
sorry to preach but nothing winds me up more than people who do not secure thier precious cargo, i was a fireman for 9 years and never want to see again what happens when you don't

Er, no!

I'm not turning my 6 seat vehicle into a 4 seat vehicle for the sake of some berk in whitehall or even worse, brussels.

They are always strapped in, that goes without saying. Funny how side facing seats have been good enough for 30+ years but all of a sudden they arent??? They might not be the greatest seats but they do the job just fine and lets face it, in a serious high speed accident in any series, 90, 110 or in some cases freelander etc the isnt much left due to there being no structural rigidity or safety cell in the bodywork.

[datalas]

is there anything in the current law about strapping them onto the roofrack ?

I see a niche market selling wind resistant rainhats

[bezzabsa]

also if you already have 2 child seats / boosters in place then the 3rd doesnt need a booster etc ..??? crazy
plus if you pay someone to move your children about in a vehicle -ie bus, taxi etc THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM THE RULING!
crazy.. totally!
yes we all value our childrens safety - especuially me after yesterdays episode! but the way this law is implimented is crazy.. now i have had time to read differing versions of the law I understand that my 2 eldest (10 and 11) DONT NEED THEM as 1 is 136cms, and the other is 143 cms..
se what happens with the local plod -

[Manicminer]

The way I read it a child 3 yrs or under has to sit in a forward facing seat with the appriopriate restraint.

If your landie was not fitted with rear seatbelts then a child up to 12 can sit there with no booster. If you have rear seatbelts then they have to sit in a forward facing seat with a booster.

[beast5680]

My wife owns and runs the local playgroup so she has had the local road safety officer in to talk to her mums to explain the law, currently he says that
side facing seats as in 90,s and the rear of disco 1,s are not allowed to carry any child under the 135 cms limit, booster seats are not allowed on these seats
all children under the limit and under 12 must have a booster when in rear forward facing seats
but here,s the curious bit he says if your child is over 12 but under the height of 135 cms then they are not required to have a booster seat  :?

[mud-club-matty]

my dad said if the vehical with the side faceing seats is over a seartent age its ok o sit kids in the side faceing seats

[BrumLee]

Those of you that know me.......... I've just got my booster seat fitted and it's caused a major headache ...... I can't reach the blinkin' pedals anymore  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: