Keeping your little ones safe in the car #RoadSafetyWeek #Kiddicare

This week is road safety week, 21st to 27th November, and Kiddicare asked me to think about what that means to me. It made me think back to when I had my car accident: two years ago now. Luckily the children were not in the car, but did you know that you still have to replace the car seats? Recently the child booster seat law changed indicating that booster seats are now not as safe. This meant when I replaced the car seats I was able to get the right seats and keep the children safe!  

The new car seat laws

The Gov.UK website has a really helpful guide on car seats and what you should use for the different ages and sizes of your children. It does actually say that children over 15KG can use a booster cushion, which is slightly confusing. But the regulations should be changing in December of this year which will now specify that children under 22KG must have a high backed booster  seat, not a booster cushion. So if you are replacing your car seats bear that in mind and buy the right high backed booster seat for your children. 

Second hand car seats

I just wanted to make the point here, as it was something I came across when I had my car accident. Never, ever, buy a second hand car seat. They could have been involved in even the slightest car accident which could effect the functionality of the seat. It is definitely not worth the risk. The only time I would suggest this is OK is if you know the person you are getting it off and you can 100% say that it has not been in an accident. For example buying off a family member or best friend. Even then, I still do not think it’s worth the risk. 

High backed booster seats

Choosing the right high backed booster seat for your children can be tricky, especially if they have been used to a booster cushion. We had this issue with Noah as he had been using a booster cushion for a few months and when we introduced the high backed booster seat he commented on how it was a baby chair. It obviously wasn’t cool! But we explained to him about the safety of travelling with the right car seat, the implications of what might happen in a car accident and we have not heard a single complaint since. 

We also got a cool high backed booster seat, it looks like a racing car seat. So that helped! I came across the Kiddicare car seat buying guide, which was really informative and helped me choose the right seats for the children. 

Below are my favourite high backed booster seats for children: 

Cool high backed boosters for boys 

Most boys love Marvel characters, so this Marvel Spiderman high backed booster is perfect. It is really good value for money and is currently on offer for £34.99. The seat uses the car seat belts, so no harness is included and is suitable for children approximately 4 years to 11 years. You can detach the high back when they get to 12 years old and just use the booster cushion, so the seat grows with your child. 

The Maxi-Cosi Rodi is what Noah currently uses in the car, I like it because it looks comfortable and designed like a bucket seat in a racing car. The Rodi is currently on offer at £63.45 so it is a great bargain! The seat has removable covers so it makes it easy to keep clean. It uses a seat belt too, so it feels like a grown up chair for those kids who are used to using the seat belts now, instead of a harness. 

Cute high backed boosters for girls

Isla loves her princesses and girlie things, especially all things Disney. The Minnie Mouse Befix high backed booster is perfect for her and great value for money at £44.99. The seat uses the seat belts, not a harness and is adjustable to match the height of your child until they reach 11 years old. I love the hug me design. Very cute. 

The other high backed booster that caught my attention was the Maxi-Cosi Rodifix Air Protect, the colour is so vibrant that it really stands out. Its a great colour that can be used for males and females, but I would suggest its a feminine colour. It is at the higher end as it is £180.00, but you get a bit more for your money. It has belt guides to make it more comfortable for children, up until they are 12 years old. You have quick access to the buckle too, which makes it easy for the children to do their seat belts up. This seat has a special side protection, which keeps their hips safe during impact. This is something that isn’t included in an ordinary car seat. 

If you would like to see more high backed booster seats you can see the collection on the Kiddicare website, click here.