Minibus travel with children: child seats and the law
When travelling with children, safety should be the primary concern. To ensure child safety in vehicles, legislation has been put in place which sets out rules for the appropriate car seats for different ages of children and types of vehicle. In this article, we will clarify when a child car seat should be used and highlight the regulations in place around minibus travel with children.
Child car seat legislation
The basic law regarding the use of child seats states that, generally, a child must use a child car seat until they turn 12 years old or reach 135cm tall, whichever comes first. After this point, the child must use a seat belt. Know that, if the passengers in your vehicle are under the age of 14, it is your responsibility as the driver to ensure that they are wearing the correct safety restraints.
Types of child car seats
It is very important that your child is using the appropriate child seat to ensure that in the unfortunate event of an accident, the seat will be able to perform safely and effectively. Different seats are designed to be suitable for children which fall within a certain height range (known as i-Size seats) or weight range. The seat and restraint your child is legally able to use depends on their weight, although at some weights a child will be allowed to use more than one type of seat. Here are the weight boundaries, groupings and corresponding child seat types:
| Seat type | Child’s weight | Group | Approx. age range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat type: Flat lying baby carrier, rear facing baby carrier or rear facing baby seat with harness | Child’s weight: 0-10kg | Group: 0 | Approx. age range: Birth - 6 to 9 months |
| Seat type: Rear facing baby carrier or rear facing baby seat with harness | Child’s weight: 0-13kg | Group: 0+ | Approx. age range: Birth - 12 to 15 months |
| Seat type: Rear or forward facing baby seat with harness or safety shield | Child’s weight: 9-18kg | Group: 1 | Approx. age range: 9 months - 4 years |
| Seat type: Rear or forward facing high-backed booster seat, using a seat belt, harness or safety shield | Child’s weight: 15-25kg | Group: 2 | Approx. age range: 4-6 years |
| Seat type: Rear or forward facing high-back booster seat or booster cushion, using a seat belt, harness or safety shield | Child’s weight: 22-36kg | Group: 3 | Approx. age range: 6-11 years |
Take care to fit the child car seat correctly and make sure you deactivate the front airbags in your vehicle if a rear-facing baby seat is fitted in the front seat.
Minibuses
For privately hired vehicles, including minibuses, the rules and regulations are different to those for personal vehicles. It is not the responsibility of the minibus driver or hire company to provide child car seats for customers; if you wish your child to travel using a car seat, you must provide it yourself. If there are appropriate child seats available on the minibus, a child aged 3 or older must use one. However, if child seats aren’t provided or suitable, adult seat belts must be used. If the minibus does not have seat belts fitted, legally, children over the age of 3 can still travel so long as they are located in a seat anywhere behind the driver. On the other hand, children under the age of 3 must be in a child car seat and cannot travel legally in any vehicle without a seat belt.
Wyatt Coaches have a fleet of high quality minibuses for hire, along with a team of experienced drivers. Our skilled staff are prompt, reliable and always work with your safety and comfort in mind. Based in Barnsley, our minibuses can transport you to destinations across the UK for occasions such as weddings, day trips, corporate days and sports team events. Get in touch today for general enquiries or journey quotes.