Child Car Safety and Best Child car seats chat with - Lesley Cully

Mumzworld invited Lesley Cully for a live chat session on child car seat safety. We had all concerned parents who were struggling with a lot of issues related to car seats for example, what kind of car seat she they use for a toddler, should it be front facing or rear facing and also how to convince older kids to wear their seatbelts. One of the most common questions that parents usually ask is till how old must their kid be in a car-seat? Lesley advised; kids must be in their car-seats till at least 12 years old or 145 cms average height. There is a big dilemma on which car seat should be used at what age. The most appropriate car seat for a 10 month old baby would be a rear facing car-seat; this is a must for safety. Basic front facing car seats could be used when they are growing older. When they are around 4-5 years of age, it is better to use booster seats which would prevent the seat belt from restraining their neck. It is also important to remember that children under 10 years of age are not legally allowed to sit in the front seat or the car. Lesley’s campaign, “Buckle Up in the Back” focuses on three main issues. The first issue emphasizes on having the seat belt law introduced for any one travelling in the back of the vehicle. Second is the proper enforcement of the law, and the third topic focuses on continued educational awareness in schools and nurseries to explain the importance of wearing a seat-belt and car safety. Teaching your children the importance of wearing a seat belt or being in the car seat is a must. There are no two ways about being protective about your child and ensuring their safety. Lesley mentions, children today are very intelligent, they understand and they follow. Keeping this in mind, she recommends talking to your kids and make them realize the importance of wearing the seat-belt.