Child booster seats and Insurance

[Billybob37]

Would not using a booster seat for a child under 1.35m on a planned outing invalidate your car insurance in an accident?

[plowter]

You'd be best to check with your insurer before you go. There are new laws relating to child booster seats.

The Department of Transport has an information leaflet and a table explaining the age
and height criteria.

[Billybob37]

I would not let any child below 1.35m in my car without a booster seat and carry a spare one around with me in my car. However, I have been on a planned outing (letter home to parents asking for help to transport) today with school where we took pupils in our cars and various other parents driving took other peoples children in their cars without boosters even though their height and age required them to use one. I am looking for concrete evidence to produce along with the safety of the children in question to ensure that this does not happen in future.

[plowter]

Hmmm. If this was an outing organised by the school then surely the school has a duty of care to the children. Did the school carry out a risk assessment?

What instructions did the school give to drivers? Did they remind them of the rules on child seat belts and booster seats? What would happen if a driver wasn't insured? What would happen if the driver was drunk? What would happen if a driver attacked the children?

Ultimately the driver is responsible for the children (and any other passengers) in the car and whether or not they wear the appropriate seatbelts.

I can't see how it would affect your insurance, but check the small print.

[wisewomen]

At the end of the day its the law. Forget about everything else if a child is not on a booster seat and should be the law is being broken.