UK Parliament has not approved the EU law for ‘i-size’ child car seats even after 18 months of its introduction

UK government trails the EU regulations on the “i-size child seats” in which EU has approved that parent should use the safer standards for fixing the child car seats in their cars with rear-facing position. The R129, or i-size child seats regulation will force the parents to position their baby car seats rear-facing until the age of 15 months. Currently, R44.04 regulations allow them to face their child seats forward from nine months of age. They also said that until the age of 15 months, children have their necks too weak to tolerate the forces from a front impact, which extensively leads to the high number of spinal injury or even death.

i-Size seats regulation has passed a new side-impact test and will be attached via ISO fix points. Seat type will also be organised by a child’s height rather than weight. This new rule will apply to five-point harness seats. UK legislation only needs to be amended to allow the use of new regulations. It will run next to the old one until it is appropriately switched ON.

Several EU countries including Netherlands and France, have allowed the use of i-size as soon as it was introduced to the EU in July 2013. The Head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Kevin Clinton said: “It’s frustrating that UK legislation has not yet been amended. It needs to be updated as soon as possible to resolve this unacceptable situation.”

Confusion between EU approval and legislation means some retailers, including Mothercare and John Lewis already selling i-Size seats. The Association of Chief Police Officers warns against using them. An official said: “Until UK legislation is in line with the new standards, it is technically unlawful to fit and use one of the new regulation seats.”

The Department for Transport hasn’t explained the legislation update delay, but it is said that the parliamentary approval process will start soon.