What Car? test: Child seats - The ten commandments

1 Never put a rearward-facing seat in front of an active airbag.

2 Check that any seat you're looking at is up to the United Nations standard (UN ECE Regulation 44.03 or 44.04). Look for the 'E' mark.

3 Always use a seat that's appropriate for a child's height and weight until they reach 135cm in height or 12 years of age.

4 Always try before you buy, and look for advice from trained store staff. Make sure the seat you want fits your car - test it in the shop's car park.

5 Read the instructions carefully. Ensure you know how to use your seat properly.

6 Avoid 'buckle-crunch' at all costs. This is where the seatbelt buckle rests against the child seat and could break the buckle in an accident.

7 Check your child seat is secure before every journey. Check the tension on the seatbelt and make sure all fixings are secure.

8 Always use a child seat for every journey, no matter how short it is.

9 Never buy or accept a second-hand seat, even from a friend or relative.

10 Replace every seat after an accident, no matter how small.