Child safety

At Direct Line we take child safety very seriously. If you take out breakdown cover we aim to get you moving very quickly and if you’re in a vulnerable position – say with a child – we’ll prioritise your call without question.

There are numerous things you can do to make sure that the younger passenger is safe. When travelling with babies, for example, you’ll need a car seat – some hospitals refuse to let you take them home without one.

Choosing the right seat is essential. You need to consider whether the car seat is:

• strong enough
• easy to put in and take out
• correctly installed according to the manufacturers requirements

Correct installation is less obvious than you might think. What looks right isn’t necessarily the correct way to install the seat. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and if you haven’t got them, call the manufacturer or download them from their website. When it comes to choosing the right seat, remember to look for the safety standard ECE R44.03, which is the United Nations regulation to which all UK car seats must conform. If you already have a car seat that conforms to the older R44 British standard, you can continue to use it. Also, look for child seats with ISOFIX fitting points, the International Standards Organisation standard on ease of installation. Not all cars have ISOFIX fixing points, so check with your manufacturer. Don’t use second-hand child safety equipment – you don’t know how safe it is.

It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that children under the age of 14 years are suitably restrained correctly in accordance with the law.

Your legal obligations about child seats are outlined at the Child Car Seats website. Essentially, the law requires all children travelling in cars to use the correct child restraint until they are either 135 cm in height or the age of 12 - which ever they reach first. Children over 135 cm in height, or who are 12 or 13 years old must wear an adult seat belt if available. Passengers over 14 years old must wear an adult seat belt whether travelling in the front or rear of the vehicle.

Up to the age of 3, children must use the correct child restraint. It is illegal to carry a child in a rear-facing child seat in the front of the car if the passenger seat is protected by an active frontal airbag.

Child safety on the road is not all about car seats. It is important to bear in mind what happens when you break down, particularly on the motorway. The Highway Code advises that all passengers should exit the car on the left-hand side of the vehicle, keep away from the carriageway and hard shoulder and that children must be kept under control.

If you do breakdown on the motorway, then breakdown cover from Direct Line can offer you peace of mind. We prioritise vulnerable callers, so, for instance, if you’re a lady alone with children we will get to you as quickly as we can.

Your choice of car is also important. Make sure your car has child locks so well-intentioned children can’t let themselves out of a vehicle before you’re ready to supervise them. Check manufacturers’ websites as well; if their vehicle has won an award for safety they’ll probably flaunt it, but bear in mind that an unsafe car wouldn’t get as far as the road. It’s also essential to check that your car is roadworthy – never miss that MOT test or service.

Comfort is important as well as safety. On a long journey your child might be exposed to the sun in the back seat and they’ll have more sensitive skin than an adult. A sun hat and preferably a filter to block out the worst of the rays is useful – be prepared to stick this filter back on the window frequently after children have pulled it off! Sunglasses can also help a child remain comfortable during a long journey. Remember, if you have music on, speakers in the back door will sound much louder to someone sitting next to it so keep the volume at a sensible level. Children get hungry and thirsty on journeys, so don’t set off without a stock of snacks and soft drinks.

All in all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Take a few moments to check out the Child Accident Prevention Trust website for more information.