Do You Really Need Additional Extras, Part 3 – Child Seats

Part 3 of our money saving tips is all about child seats. What are your options when hiring a car in the UK.

On the roads in the UK if you have a child in your vehicle then you may be required by law to make them sit in a baby or child seat for their safety. Below you will find the legal requirements in regards to having a child/baby seat in your car.

Rear-facing baby seats are suitable for babies up to 13kg
Forward or rear facing baby seats are suitable for children up to 18kg
After your child has surpassed these you need to look at having a child car seat which is law until the child is 135cm tall or 12 years old.
Only EU approved child seats can be used in the UK, they have the capital E in a circle on the label.
You must deactivate any front airbags when using a rear facing baby seat in the front.

This gives car hire companies the upper hand as they can charge you a high daily price, some times up to £20 per day for a baby seat as it is required by law and your options are limited. You do however have an alternative of purchasing one yourself, although it may not be ideal it could save you a significant amount of money, here are some of the baby seats regularly available at shops across the UK to give you a general idea.

Fisher-Price Safe Voyage Infant Carrier Moonlight – £51.99
Perfect for carrying infants in the car who are up to 13kg, the seat also has built in impact protection in the sides for extra safety. Also within the seat is a body support cushion that is suitable for new borns.

Pampero Plus Cosisafe Baby Car Seat – £31.49
This baby car seat is suitable for new borns up to 12 months old, it offers extreme comfort with deeply padded fabric and ensures that every journey is comfortable. It’s also very lightweight with a comfy carrying handle and several safety features.

Britax Baby – Safe Car Seat Chili Pepper – £69.99
Ensuring comfort and security is the main aspects of this Britax baby car seat model, it has soft padded wings and is also compatible with Britax Push chairs with a click and go feature. Safety is a main priority in this baby seat and its evident with the collision padding and head support.

Topo Plus Booster Seat – £10.00
The Topo Comfort Plus is a forward-facing child booster car seat suitable from 15-36kg. Provides an improved view for a more enjoyable trip. Lightweight and easy to transfer from car to car.

If you cannot purchase one and need to hire a child seat then please see here, we have a supplier that can offer them at a much lower price than we have come to expect.

If you are interested in hiring a car and need some guidance in terms of baby seats then our reservation agents will be happy to assist you. Contact us directly by calling +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing us at [email protected] and we will get right back to you.

Having worked in the car rental industry for over 15 years, he really knows his stuff. Rob heads up our marketing department and as a keen traveller, always has a new location to talk about. Particularly if there is a golf course nearby.