child car seats
Jan 26th 2009, 10:12 pm
#1
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,444
child car seats
Hi there,
We're flying into Murcia for a week with my father at half term. 'We' includes three children (2, 4 and 6). What is the law regarding child seats? The car rental lot want £100 for one child seat and two boosters.
Thanks
T
We're flying into Murcia for a week with my father at half term. 'We' includes three children (2, 4 and 6). What is the law regarding child seats? The car rental lot want £100 for one child seat and two boosters.
Thanks
T
Jan 26th 2009, 10:57 pm
#2
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,273
Re: child car seats
By law children are not allowed to sit in the front seat of a car until the age of 12 unless they are in an approved child seat or restraint. Seat belts are compulsory for the driver and all passengers in the car.
Small children must use child safety seats.
In practice the child sits on the drivers lap or stands in the passenger footwell
I don't have any children. But if I had it wouldn't matter what the law said.
Get them strapped in. What's £100 compared to a childs life?
As an afterthought. You could always bring your own child seat and boosters. I'm sure I've seen people use them on aircraft seats.
Small children must use child safety seats.
In practice the child sits on the drivers lap or stands in the passenger footwell
I don't have any children. But if I had it wouldn't matter what the law said.
Get them strapped in. What's £100 compared to a childs life?
As an afterthought. You could always bring your own child seat and boosters. I'm sure I've seen people use them on aircraft seats.
Last edited by big wheels; Jan 26th 2009 at 11:05 pm.
Jan 26th 2009, 11:15 pm
#3
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Re: child car seats
Thanks Big Squeals,
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
Jan 27th 2009, 6:37 am
#4
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Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Coventry
Posts: 405
Re: child car seats
Thanks Big Squeals,
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
again ... would be interested in people's thoughts.
Sharon
Jan 27th 2009, 8:21 am
#6
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Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,211
Re: child car seats
Thanks Big Squeals,
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
We'd like to buy them out there but would have to do the journey from and to the airport without leaving them with my father. We'll be visiting regularly over the next ten years with same issues but don't want a huge fine from angry policeman so want to know where we stand. You are right about the £100 being cheap for their lives of course. But still, Murcia to Torrevieja - what could go wrong...
T
Jan 27th 2009, 8:40 am
#7
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,444
Re: child car seats
N332, no need to say more. it's just a long load of road works, the motorway isn't that safe, plenty of speeding drivers on it. Best to hire for this time but buy while here and keep them here for the next time. Guardia Civil Traffico are VERY active round here at the moment, don't know if they have a traffic blitz on, but I see them stopping cars every day.
I agree but just want to know what the legal situation is.
Will I be fined if my kids (not the 2 year old) are on the back seat with seatbelts but no boosters. I would like to buy the seats and keep them there.
Jan 27th 2009, 8:45 am
#8
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Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
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Re: child car seats
If stopped, then the answer is YES, it is against the law, and they are very strict on this type of offence.
Jan 27th 2009, 9:49 am
#10
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,359
Re: child car seats
Jan 27th 2009, 10:14 am
#11
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: child car seats
Regardless of the law or whether it is enforced properly it is the parents responsibility to ensure their childrens safety no matter what difficulties this entails for them. Children have the right to being protected at all times, even on holiday. There are no shortcuts to child safety.
Rosemary
Rosemary
Jan 27th 2009, 10:14 am
#12
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: child car seats
I usually travel with my car seat, but last year flew hand luggage only so decided to rent the car seat with the rental company and, like you said, it cost an absolute fortune! I was looking in Halfords yesterday at the "gadgets" to ensure a seatbelt fits over a child's shoulder correctly and was wondering if I could do my trip to and from the airport using one of those, but have a booster seat permanently in spain to use whilst there.
again ... would be interested in people's thoughts.
Sharon
again ... would be interested in people's thoughts.
Sharon
Jan 27th 2009, 11:48 am
#13
!hola!
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Coventry
Posts: 405
Re: child car seats
thank you. I wouldn't dream of putting jack in the car without his seat in england but the fee that some of the rental companies are charging is just ridiculous!:curse:
Jan 27th 2009, 11:54 am
#14
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Location: Benalmadena Pueblo,Spain
Posts: 20,156
Re: child car seats
No charge for carseats where mrsjdr works. ;-))
Jan 27th 2009, 12:40 pm
#15
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 446
Re: child car seats
A number of the car rental companies we have used ask you to sign a disclaimer when they give you the keys, that you will not be carrying any children under 12 in the car ...
I presume that means that you might be obliged to either rent their child seats or produce your own when collecting the vehicle ...
Can't help any further as we haven't travelled recently with young children.
I presume that means that you might be obliged to either rent their child seats or produce your own when collecting the vehicle ...
Can't help any further as we haven't travelled recently with young children.