Police stop car swerving across motorway at 70mph near Leeds and find two month old baby in LAP

Police stopped a car on the M1 tonight after it was seen swerving across the motorway at 70mph.
The car pulled over by West Yorkshire Police. Photo: @WYP_RPU/TwitterThe car pulled over by West Yorkshire Police. Photo: @WYP_RPU/Twitter
The car pulled over by West Yorkshire Police. Photo: @WYP_RPU/Twitter

Officers were horrified to discover that a two month old baby was sat in someone's lap in the passenger seat.

This is illegal because any baby must be safely secured in a specialised car seat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What the law says on babies and children using car seats

Children must normally use a child car seat until they're 12 years old or 135 centimetres tall, whichever comes first.

Children over 12 or more than 135cm tall must wear a seat belt. You can choose a child car seat based on your child's height or weight.

Height-based seats

These are known as ‘i-Size’ seats. They must be rear-facing until your child is over 15 months old.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Your child can use a forward-facing child car seat when they’re over 15 months old.

You must check the seat to make sure it’s suitable for the height of your child.

Only EU-approved height-based child car seats can be used in the UK. These have a label showing a capital ‘E’ in a circle and ‘R129’.

Weight-based seats

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The seat your child can use (and the way they must be restrained in it) depends on their weight.

Only EU-approved weight-based child car seats can be used in the UK. These have a label showing a capital ‘E’ in a circle and ‘ECE R44’.

You may be able to choose from more than one type of seat in the group for your child’s weight.

Child’s weight Group Seats

0kg to 10kg 0 Lie-flat or ‘lateral’ baby carrier, rear-facing baby carrier, or rear-facing baby seat using a harness

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

0kg to 13kg 0 +Rear-facing baby carrier or rear-facing baby seat using a harness

9kg to 18kg 1 Rear- or forward-facing baby seat using a harness or safety shield

15kg to 25kg 2 Rear- or forward-facing child car seat (high-backed booster seat or booster cushion) using a seat belt, harness or safety shield

22kg to 36kg 3 Rear- or forward-facing child car seat (high-backed booster seat or booster cushion) using a seat belt, harness or safety shield

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Manufacturers can now only make booster cushions approved as group 3. This won’t affect any existing booster cushions in group 2 and you’ll still be able to use them.

Fitting a child car seat

You must only use a child car seat if your car’s seat belt has a diagonal strap, unless the seat is either:

specifically designed for use with a lap seat belt

fitted using ISOFIX anchor points

You must also:

deactivate any front airbags before fitting a rear-facing baby seat in a front seat

not fit a child car seat in side-facing seats