Having trouble using a child car seat?

Two in three child car seats are not being used properly. Child car seats are designed to match your child's age and size. They must be installed using a seatbelt and a top tether anchorage strap, designed to restrain the top portion of the child car seat.

Top tether straps must be fitted to the correct anchorage point in the vehicle and tightened to remove any slack.

You must attach the strap to the correct anchorage point - not luggage tie-downs or other parts of the car. The location of child car seat anchorage points can be found in the vehicle’s user manual. Depending on the type of conveyance, top tether strap anchorage points can be located on the car’s ceiling, parcel shelf, floor or seat-backs.

If you are having trouble fitting the child car seat in your vehicle or problems adjusting the car seat, visit an Authorised Restraint Fitting Station. All fitters are part of a specialist network and have been tranied to inspect and adjust child car seats to make sure they are installed correctly. They can also fit child car seats that require vehicle modifications, install additional anchorage points and retrofit lap and lap-sash seatbelts.

Specialist child car seat fitters can demonstrate correct use so that you can be confident when using your child car seat in the future.