Look after your child's in-car safety

Getting the correct seat is essential but many people don't take all the care they should in the selection. And quite often don't update the seat as the child grows or even when mum and dad change cars.

Halfords is offering free safety checks on any child car seat during Child Safety Week Free running until Sunday June 29. Use the chance to check your child's car seat is correctly fitted. To give mums, dads and grandparents reassurance that they not only have the right car seat but that it is fitted to deliver maximum protection, Halfords is offering to check them – regardless of the seat make, model or where it was purchased – for free at any store during the week. Eloise Hawkins, Halfords child seat product manager, said: "We know that child safety is the number one priority for customers purchasing a car seat. However, whilst we ensure every seat that we sell is fitted properly when it's first purchased they are often removed for use in a second car or loaned to grandparents, which can mean they aren't correctly fitted again when re-installed. "Safety groups estimate that as many as 51% of child car seats in use are incorrectly fitted – so we are using Child Safety Week to help raise awareness of the danger and offering free car seat checks at all of our stores to give customers peace of mind." The store is currently the only child car seat retailer accredited by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and has also made a commitment to improving child seat safety by signing the Which? Child Seat Best Practice Charter. The right car seat can make journeys safer and more comfortable for babies and children, and every store has highly trained in-store fitters with both the expertise and equipment to help customers choose the right car seat for their child and demonstrate how to fit them. When choosing a car seat for your child, follow Halfords top tips; • Double check that the seat you want is appropriate for both the size and weight of your child, and your car. Did you know, for example, forward facing car seats can only be used for children over 9kg that can sit unaided and support their own head? • Think about how you will be using the seat, if you will be taking it in and out of the car is it convenient to secure? • When fitting the car seat, make sure it is stable with no excessive forwards or sideways movement • Remove all loose items from where the seat will be fitted – and never fit to a seat with an airbag • Look out for side impact protection for extra safety just in case • To cater for a growing child, look out for adjustable headrest and harness so the seat can grow with them