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DOESN'T SIT RIGHT

How letting someone else give YOUR child a lift could be putting their life at risk

MILLIONS of parents could be putting other children's lives at risk when giving them a lift by not safely strapping them in, according to a study.

Research found 37 per cent of mums and dads have driven with someone else’s kid as a passenger despite not having a suitable child restraint for them.

 Parents have admitted to driving other people's children without the appropriate car seat
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Parents have admitted to driving other people's children without the appropriate car seatCredit: Getty - Contributor

Conducted by mifold, the Grab-and-Go portable child restraint, the study revealed 57 per cent of drivers don’t carry a child seat in their car on the off-chance they might need one for another parent's children.

But this "gamble" could have fatal consequences.

And a lack of understanding regarding the rules and regulations of travelling with kids in road vehicles could be to blame, with 56 per cent admitting they weren't aware of the dos and don’ts when it came to child seats.

In fact, a whopping 85 per cent believe the Government should do more to raise awareness of in-car safety laws, as the majority feel the risks aren't commonly known.

 Laws for children's restraints changed last year
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Laws for children's restraints changed last yearCredit: Getty - Contributor

Father-of-four, Jon Sumroy, who invented mifold, said: “Road accidents remain one of the biggest killers of young children.

"Child restraints reduce this risk dramatically, but parents are still unnecessarily endangering their children.

"There are compact and portable child restraints that can fit into a child’s school bag or the glove compartment so a child restraint is on hand for every journey.”

The research found more than a quarter fear they have inadvertently broken regulations relating to travelling with children in vehicles.


KEEPING YOUR KIDS SAFE What are UK baby car seat laws, what are the rules and how do I fit a child’s booster seat properly?


Carried out through OnePoll.com, the survey also found more than one third have allowed their children to travel without a suitable child restraint.

Shockingly, almost one fifth admitted their kids have travelled while sat in the boot and 22 per cent have used a cushion instead of a suitable car seat.

Three in 10 have driven with their little ones sat on someone’s lap and one fifth have wedged their children into a backseat containing four or more passengers.

And one in 10 even admitted they have or would travel a short distance without their children safely secured in the vehicle.

How to correctly fit a child car seat

  • You must deactivate any front-facing airbags before fitting a rear-facing baby seat
  • You must not use side-facing car seats
  • The seat must either have its own diagonal strap, be designed for use with a lap seat belt, or be fitted with ISOFIX anchor points
  • ISOFIX anchors the child’s chair to the car’s back seat. There are three ISOFIX points – two metal bars at the base, and a top tether or support leg
  • Make sure the seat itself is fitted as securely as possible, with no excessive movement
  • Make sure the seat's buckle is clear of its frame - because otherwise it could snap open if you have an accident
  • With babies, harnesses should be pulled appropriately tight with no more than two fingers' space under the shoulder straps at the collarbone

A spokesman for Brake, the road safety charity which has partnered with mifold, said: “Road crashes are the biggest cause of death among 5-25 year olds, so when a child is present in a moving vehicle it's essential the appropriate child restraints are used.

"Children are some of the most vulnerable road users - no matter how they travel.

"Their undeveloped frames are open to more severe injuries and ill-prepared to absorb the violent crash forces of a vehicular impact.

"It is important that the public are aware of the danger that children are in if they are not using the appropriate restraints.

"There are key steps parents and carers need to take to help protect a child's safety when travelling in their own car or in vehicles driven by others.

"Children should be secured by using appropriate restraints at all times”