Childseat laws keep children safe, secure Published Sept. 21, 2006 By Karen Abeyasekere 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Due to recent changes in British law, all children age 12 and younger, or less than 135 centimeters tall (about 4 feet 5 inches), must now be properly restrained in a suitable child car seat or booster seat. According to the law, which went into effect Monday, adult seatbelts are no longer considered a safe restraint for young children. All car seats used in British specification vehicles must meet United Nations/European Union standards and be labeled with an EU sticker. Car seats in American-specification vehicles don't have to be EU-compliant yet. Even so, children traveling in American vehicles are still required to use a suitable car seat or booster seat. "American-imported cars are exempt from having to use car seats with the EU-rated seats," said Police Constable Paul Glover, Ministry of Defence Police community liaison officer. "However, the rest of the legislation still applies." Car seats purchased since Monday must be EU-rated, regardless what type of vehicle they're in. AAFES will have EU-rated car seats in stock shortly, and seats are available in many British stores. "After May 2008, every child seat in every car - whether British or American - has to be EU-rated," PC Glover said, adding that according to the Department of Transport, any seats currently fitted in vehicles are good until 2008, when all child restraints must comply with the United Nations ECE 44.03 standard. The MoD Police community liaison officer explained that seats are designed for the child's age, rather than weight. "A child's bone structure is not strong enough to support the adult seatbelt," he said. "A seatbelt on an adult won't affect our bone structure, but the same seatbelt on a child could break their bones. "They could 'submarine' - meaning when an adult seatbelt comes up too high on a child, and you brake, they could come out from under the bottom of the seatbelt," he added. "We've seen children end up in the footwells of vehicles, and end up with a lot of broken bones, because they're not in the correct seat. A booster seat lifts the child up and brings the straps down over their legs, so they're secure." British police both on and off base will start conducting spot checks, and anyone found with an unrestrained child who is under the age or height limit will receive a fixed penalty fine of either £30 on-the-spot, or increases to £60 if it goes to court. Just the facts Suitable cars seats vary for children of different ages, and are explained as follows: -- Birth to 9-to-12 months, up to 27 pounds - Preferably use rear-facing baby seats, which can be used in either the front or rear of a vehicle. However, do not use baby seats in any front passenger seat which has an airbag. It is advisable to keep babies in a baby seat for as long as possible, only moving up to the next sized seat when the child has reached the weight-limit for their car seat, or when the baby's head can no longer be fully contained within the seat. -- Nine months to 4 years, 20 to 40 pounds - A forward-facing child car seat with a built-in harness can usually be used in the front or rear of the vehicle. -- Four to 6 years, 33 to 55 pounds - A forward-facing booster seat (with back) must be used in the front or rear of the car. These seats are designed to raise the child so an adult seat belt can be used safely across his or her chest and pelvis. -- Six to 11 years, 48 to 79 pounds - A forward-facing booster cushion must be used, either in the front or rear of the car. These seats are designed to raise up children so they can use an adult seat belt safely across their chest and pelvis.