What Car? Q&A - What's the best car seat?

Q: What is the best possible car seat for my grand-daughter? She's nine months old and I have a Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet.
Mrs Green

A: The important thing when choosing a child seat is to make sure that it is the right fit for the child in question. At nine months old, she may be ready to move into a forward-facing child seat if she weighs between 9kg and 18kg.

This should last until she is around four years old. However, some rear-facing baby seats are suitable for babies up to 13kg (usually 12-15 months old). A rearward-facing seat is safer in an accident, but as she gets older you might find it harder and harder to convince her to use it.

Remember, if you opt for a rear-facing seat, this can only be used in the front seat of the car if you switch off the front passenger airbag (which is done manually in the Megane CC). It is always preferable to fit a child seat in the back of the car.

You'll need to test any seat you're considering in your car to make sure it can be secured firmly with the seatbelt. Once the child is in the seat, check that the harness has the right amount of slack - you should be able to fit two fingers between the straps and the child.

Britax offers a Fit Finder service (www.britax.co.uk), which will help you find a suitable seat for your car.

For more information, visit www.childcarseats.org.uk. Any seat you choose should meet the minimum EU requirement by conforming to safety standard R44.03.