As of September 18th 2006 all children under the age of 12 years, will be required to use the correct car seat when travelling by car.

This could pose difficulties for those of you that would normally share the car journey of the school-run each day. However, with the flexibility of the school-run system, the other options are already available to you.

Walk - Why not try sharing the walk to school, start a ‘walking bus’ or simply take it in turns to walk with the children to school each day.

Cycle – Arrange to become part of a cycle group to share the route to school.

Bus – Use www.School-Run.org for other members with children travelling by bus, giving you the reassurance that your child won’t be travelling on their own.

Walking and Cycling rather than using the car for the School-Run of course will save money, it will reduce CO2 and congestion around the school and along the route to school as well as making your children feel awake, alert and energized as they arrive at school.

Latest News

The New legislation -
The following links are good sites which have lots of information about this new law. Please take a look at them

Below are some of the main points that come with the legislation changes -

All children under 3 years old must use the correct child seat when travelling in any car or goods vehicle (except in the rear of a taxi if a child seat is not available)
Children aged 3 years and under 12 must use the correct child seat/booster seat/booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles until they reach about 4' 5" (135cms). Few exceptions are permitted.
Taller children and all those aged 12 and over need to use adult belts.
Rear-facing baby seats must not be used in seats with an active frontal air-bag;
There are some specific practical exemptions - for taxis, emergency vehicles, and (for children aged 3 and over) journeys over a short distance in an unexpected necessity.
In mini-buses, buses and coaches, seated passengers aged 14 years and above must use seat belts where they are fitted. Further regulations will be made as soon as possible requiring children under 14 years to use seat belts in these vehicles.

Further regulations will be introduced in due course so that:
Where seat belts are provided, the number of people carried in the rear of cars and goods vehicles may not exceed the number of seats available fitted with seat belts or child restraints (to apply from May 2009).
Modern UN ECE Regulation 44.03 (or later) type-approved child restraints must be used from May 2008. Most restraints in use already meet this standard.

Information has been taken from Government News Network as at 17th July 2006