Backless Car Booster seat for kids

Aye Bosun

Hi, not sure if right forum but here goes.

I see in the news the UK have are banning backless car booster seat for kids under 12 or a certain weight from December 2016 onward.It doesn't seem to apply in the Republic of Ireland tho.

My query is my niece will be visiting me in Feb and we are planning on going up north for a few days in my car. I have a backless booster seat for her in my car but with us crossing the border and entering the UK will we need to get a new seat for her for the few days?

January

If she's below the weight/height restriction then yes get on.

sillysocks

As far as I know this changenin law was postponed in the UK over the few weeks or so, and also I understood it was the sale of new backless boosters that was going to be banned. The use of previously owned ones was going to be allowed to continue. I guess the idea was they'd phase it out if people couldn't use it but didn't need everyone to go buy new seats.

*edit* found a link....
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/motoring/ban-small-children-using-booster-8973989.amp

Aye Bosun

sillysocks wrote: »

As far as I know this changenin law was postponed in the UK over the few weeks or so, and also I understood it was the sale of new backless boosters that was going to be banned. The use of previously owned ones was going to be allowed to continue. I guess the idea was they'd phase it out if people couldn't use it but didn't need everyone to go buy new seats.

*edit* found a link....
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/motoring/ban-small-children-using-booster-8973989.amp

Thanks Sillysocks, that clears it up for me! Appreciate the advice!

Cunning Stunt

Hey
sorry for dragging up this thread, but I was buying a backless booster seat on behalf of my niece in Halfords, Carlow at the weekend, and the girl told me that they will not be selling them anymore after Christmas as they will no longer be legal. She went as far as to say the guards will do you if you have them in your car.... at the same time, my niece was told by her sons school that she needed to supply a booster seat for his travel in the schools bus, due to health and safety rules - which was why I was buying it in the first place...

sillysocks

I don't think think she's correct. Maybe because they're a British shop their internal guidelines go by British legislation but I can't find anything to say this is happening in Ireland. Obviously high back boosters are still safer etc but sometimes I guess the booster cushions have their uses.

Lisha

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

Hey
sorry for dragging up this thread, but I was buying a backless booster seat on behalf of my niece in Halfords, Carlow at the weekend, and the girl told me that they will not be selling them anymore after Christmas as they will no longer be legal. She went as far as to say the guards will do you if you have them in your car.... at the same time, my niece was told by her sons school that she needed to supply a booster seat for his travel in the schools bus, due to health and safety rules - which was why I was buying it in the first place...

This is not the case in Ireland currently.

Look at the rsa.ie website. It says once a child is over six they can use a backless booster.
I rang a Garda station and they assured me that the rsa website was correct and that while the law is changing in the UK it is unchanged here.

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Campaigns/Current-road-safety-campaigns/No-Child-Car-Seat---No-Excuse/Types-of-child-car-seats/

sillysocks

Lisha wrote: »

This is not the case in Ireland currently.

Look at the rsa.ie website. It says once a child is over six they can use a backless booster.
I rang a Garda station and they assured me that the rsa website was correct and that while the law is changing in the UK it is unchanged here.

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Campaigns/Current-road-safety-campaigns/No-Child-Car-Seat---No-Excuse/Types-of-child-car-seats/

I think the RSA just recommend over 6, but the rules are over 15kg can use a booster cushion. RSA and most other sources would all agree that at 15kg a child is probably too small and you're better waiting until they are that bit older and heavier.

Lisha

sillysocks wrote: »

I think the RSA just recommend over 6, but the rules are over 15kg can use a booster cushion. RSA and most other sources would all agree that at 15kg a child is probably too small and you're better waiting until they are that bit older and heavier.

Yes I agree. I kept both mine in the high back booster until they were 8. They were both above the weight and height levels. My son is above the weight but below the height to be out of the booster but he is still using the booster and will be fir a long time to come. He is the only one on his class who is though. Which I find rediculous for third class .

Moonbeam

They are not as safe as high backed booster seats and that is why they are not recommended.
I would always have a child's safety in mind when choosing car seats and other safety items, just because something is legal does not make it safe.

Cunning Stunt

Thanks for the clarifications. The girl in Halfords sounded so sure of it, but I guess she was wrong after all.

sillysocks

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

Thanks for the clarifications. The girl in Halfords sounded so sure of it, but I guess she was wrong after all.

I remember watching a Watchdog type programme a while ago about car seats and fitting etc. it was done in England and they sent experts around to lots of different branches of Mothercare, Halfords etc - a lot of the places people would get car seats. A huge percentage of them gave incorrect information or fitted the car seats incorrectly - I can't remember exactly but it was along the lines of 80/90% did at least one thing wrong. The recommendation from the experts on that show was to try find a shop that specialises in seat fitting and generally these aren't large chain shops. Can be hard to find depending on where you live though!

sillysocks

Actually found a link about the programme..... was an eye opener when I saw it!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/your-childs-car-seat-safe-6603337

iguana

sillysocks wrote: »

I think the RSA just recommend over 6, but the rules are over 15kg can use a booster cushion.

:eek:Wow that's insane. My four year old is 17.5kg and I still have him rear facing and intend to keep him that way until 25kg. I can't believe that legally I could have had him sitting with a booster cushion and seat belt for the last year or more. The are still so, so vulnerable at that size.

The only reason to use a booster and belt at that age would possibly be in a bus or similar sized vehicle as outcomes in a crash are different in a vehicle of that size.

sillysocks

I know! My 3.5 year old is just over 15kg and can't even imagine moving him to a high back booster yet never mind a booster cushion!

MountainAshIRL

I would suggest that people research who was driving the U.K. Campaign to ban backless boosters.
Would you look at the information differently if you saw that it is a car seat company, Britax? they stand to earn a significant amount of profit from this campaign.