This week is national child car seat safety week and Halfords are offering parents free safety checks on any child car seat.
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The safety check will continue until Sunday, 29 June, 2014, which will be available at any of your local Halford stores for every family.
The idea is to provide mum, dad and grandparents with reassurance that they not only have the right car seat, but that it is fitted to deliver maximum protection, regardless of the seat make, model or where it was purchased.
Eloise Hawkins, Halfords child seat product manager, said: “We know that child safety is the number one priority for customers purchasing a car seat. However, whilst we ensure every seat that we sell is fitted properly when it’s first purchased they are often removed for use in a second car or loaned to grandparents, which can mean they aren’t correctly fitted again when re-installed.
“Safety groups estimate that as many as 51% of child car seats in use are incorrectly fitted – so we are using Child Safety Week to help raise awareness of the danger and offering free car seat checks at all of our stores to give customers peace of mind.”
When choosing a car seat for your child, follow Halfords top tips:
- Double check that the seat you want is appropriate for both the size and weight of your child, and your car. Did you know, for example, forward facing car seats can only be used for children over 9kg that can sit unaided and support their own head?
- Think about how you will be using the seat, if you will be taking it in and out of the car is it convenient to secure?
- When fitting the car seat, make sure it is stable with no excessive forwards or sideways movement
- Remove all loose items from where the seat will be fitted – and never fit to a seat with an airbag
- Look out for side impact protection for extra safety just in case
- To cater for a growing child, look out for adjustable headrest and harness so the seat can grow with them.