Current UK law states that all children must use the correct seat when travelling in a car until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall. New regulations are expected to come into effect in December 2016 which will change that, meaning backless booster seats will only be approved for older children. We take a look at the new car seat regulations and what they will mean for parents:

WHAT ARE THE NEW RULES?

Under the new rules, backless booster seats or booster cushions will only be approved for use by children taller than 125cm and weighing more than 22kg. Currently children as young as 3, or 15kg, are able to use a backless booster seat. The new rules that are expected to come into effect later this year mean backless booster seats will no longer be approved  for  young children.

DO I HAVE TO BUY A NEW SEAT?

The new child car seat regulations are expected to come into effect in December 2016, but these will only apply to new products. This means that if you’re looking to buy a booster seat after the regulation change, you’ll see that they’re only approved for children over 125cm or 22kg. If you’ve got an existing booster seat you will be able to use it without breaking any rules, but it is recommended that you buy your child a high-backed booster seat which can offer more protection in a side-impact crash situation.

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

High backed booster seats for children aged 4-12 (group2/3) are recommended by experts as offering a safer alternative to a backless booster seat until your little one reaches 125cm tall or 22kg. Which? child car seat expert, Lisa Galliers says: “A decent high-backed booster seat provides better protection in a front crash, as they’re designed to guide the adult seat-belt across the child’s body properly, and our crash tests prove they offer much more protection in a side-impact crash than a backless booster seat alone.”