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| Child car seat law change looms | Child car seat law change looms |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Sales of child car seats have soared in the months leading up to a change in the law, according to retailers. | |
| From Monday children under 12 and less than 4ft 5in (135cm) tall have to use a car seat or the driver faces fines from £30 on-the-spot or up to £500 in court. | |
| Some youngsters who have spent years using adult seats will now need to revert to using special child seats. | |
| Safety groups have welcomed the move, which the government says will prevent 2,000 child injuries every year. | Safety groups have welcomed the move, which the government says will prevent 2,000 child injuries every year. |
| Children less than five feet tall and using adult seats risk injury or slipping out of their seat belts in the event of a crash. | Children less than five feet tall and using adult seats risk injury or slipping out of their seat belts in the event of a crash. |
| CHILD SEAT REGULATIONS Child seats compulsory until children reach 135 cm or the age of 12Children up to age of 3 must be carried in appropriate seatExemption for over-3s in "unexpected necessity"Exemption if there are three children but only room for two car seatsFine could rise to £500 Confusion over new seat laws Q&A: Child car seats | CHILD SEAT REGULATIONS Child seats compulsory until children reach 135 cm or the age of 12Children up to age of 3 must be carried in appropriate seatExemption for over-3s in "unexpected necessity"Exemption if there are three children but only room for two car seatsFine could rise to £500 Confusion over new seat laws Q&A: Child car seats |
| The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) believes this is the next step in improving the safety of children in cars. | The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) believes this is the next step in improving the safety of children in cars. |
| In a car travelling at 30 mph, children who are not correctly restrained in the back seats are thrown forward with a force that is 30 to 60 times its body weight, says Rospa. | In a car travelling at 30 mph, children who are not correctly restrained in the back seats are thrown forward with a force that is 30 to 60 times its body weight, says Rospa. |
| Manufacturers are said to be working round the clock to meet the demand for new car seats. | Manufacturers are said to be working round the clock to meet the demand for new car seats. |
| Sales boost | Sales boost |
| Halfords has sold double the volume over the last two months compared to the same time last year, while supermarket chain Asda reported a 387% year-on-year surge of all types of car seats. | Halfords has sold double the volume over the last two months compared to the same time last year, while supermarket chain Asda reported a 387% year-on-year surge of all types of car seats. |
| Tesco said sales of its booster seats - which are suitable for bigger children - were up 1,000% this week, compared to the same time last year. | Tesco said sales of its booster seats - which are suitable for bigger children - were up 1,000% this week, compared to the same time last year. |
| The chain's spokeswoman Barbara Cadd said: "Sales have doubled and they are still rising. | The chain's spokeswoman Barbara Cadd said: "Sales have doubled and they are still rising. |
| "We knew there was going to be massive demand for these so we ordered several thousand seats more than we would have done last year." | "We knew there was going to be massive demand for these so we ordered several thousand seats more than we would have done last year." |
| But there have been concerns that parents have not been properly informed about the new laws, and many will have got rid of their child booster seats years ago. | But there have been concerns that parents have not been properly informed about the new laws, and many will have got rid of their child booster seats years ago. |
| Exemptions do apply, such as if the car is not big enough to accommodate three seats across the back, then two will be sufficient. | Exemptions do apply, such as if the car is not big enough to accommodate three seats across the back, then two will be sufficient. |
| Police in South Yorkshire have been running awareness days to make sure drivers know about the new legislation. | Police in South Yorkshire have been running awareness days to make sure drivers know about the new legislation. |
| "Initially it will be a softly, softly approach in South Yorkshire with prosecutions following where appropriate," PC John Scruby told BBC News. | "Initially it will be a softly, softly approach in South Yorkshire with prosecutions following where appropriate," PC John Scruby told BBC News. |
| "The information's been out for a long time and we've been doing days like this since April this year." | "The information's been out for a long time and we've been doing days like this since April this year." |