- Confused.com's car seat safety checker takes the guesswork out of choosing the safest seat, after UK police forces issued 5,533 fixed penalty notices for child car seat and seatbelt offences between 2023 and 2025 - with Greater Manchester Police issuing more than a quarter (27%) of them, more than any other force (1,514).
- Between 2023 and 2025, 2,926 parents and drivers were ordered onto a retraining course, while a further 1,808 were referred for prosecution.
- Almost a third (31%) of parents admit to driving with their child unrestrained.
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents don't know the correct legal cut-off: children must normally use a car seat until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first.
- Confused.com is supporting Rear Face for Safety, which encourages keeping children rear-facing until at least 4, with evidence showing they're up to 5 times safer rear-facing than forward-facing.
UK police forces issued 5,533 fixed penalty notices to parents and drivers for child car seat and seatbelt offences between 2023 and 2025.1 Based on the standard £100 fixed penalty for these offences, that's equivalent to £553,300 in fines over the 3 years.
Behind each of these penalties is a child who wasn't restrained correctly in the car, because parents hadn't followed UK child car seat laws. These offences varied from no seat being used at all, to the wrong seat for the child's age or size, or no seatbelt at all. That's more than 5,000 children who have not been safely secured in a car over the past 3 years.
That's according to data obtained by Confused.com through Freedom of Information requests sent to UK police constabularies.
The offences cover a range of scenarios. Under UK law, children must use an appropriate child car seat from birth until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. After this point, they can legally move onto an adult seat belt.2
When it comes to choosing the safest seat, rear facing seats should never be used in a front passenger seat with an active airbag. Any restraint used must suit a child's current height and weight, not simply their age.2
To highlight the importance of car seat safety, Confused.com is supporting Rear Face for Safety, which encourages parents to keep children rear-facing until at least 4 years old. This is supported by evidence showing children are up to 5 times safer travelling rear-facing than forward-facing. 3
In addition to the 5,533 offences, 2,926 drivers were ordered onto a retraining course instead between 2023 and 2025, including 958 in 2025 alone4. The standard course for these offences in England and Wales is “Your Belt, Your Life”, run through the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS). It lasts about 30 minutes, ends with a test, and costs £54.5 Others faced more serious action, with 1,808 drivers referred for prosecution over the same 3-year period.
Some parts of the country are seeing considerably more enforcement than others. Greater Manchester Police issued more fines than any other force in the UK. Its 1,514 fixed penalty notices account for almost 30% of all those issued nationally over the 3 years.
Top 10 UK regions with most fines for child car seat and seatbelt offences
| Police Constabulary | Fixed Penalty Notices (2023-2025) | Fine Income (2023-2025) |
|---|---|---|
|
Greater Manchester Police
|
1514
|
£151,400
|
|
West Yorkshire Police
|
1055
|
£105,500
|
|
Merseyside Police
|
527
|
£52,700
|
|
Police Service of Northern Ireland
|
310
|
£31,700
|
|
Leicestershire Constabulary
|
199
|
£19,900
|
|
Northumbria Police
|
177
|
£17,700
|
|
West Mercia Police
|
153
|
£15,300
|
|
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
|
134
|
£13,400
|
|
Humberside Police
|
125
|
£12,500
|
|
West Midlands Police
|
114
|
£11,400
|
Further research suggests these fines may only be the tip of the iceberg. A new survey of 1,200 parents with children under 12 found that thousands could be unknowingly putting themselves at risk of a fine by misunderstanding the UK's child car seat laws.
Almost 1 in 3 (31%) parents admit they have driven with their child without the appropriate restraint at some point, whether that's using the wrong car seat or no car seat at all.Among those who have done so, more than a third (35%) say they have been stopped by police.
While many escaped with a warning, the research suggests officers are taking firm action where necessary. Over half (57%) say they received a verbal warning, while 45% were told to correct the issue before continuing their journey. More than a third (35%) received a fixed penalty notice or fine, almost a third (31%) had the incident formally recorded by police and almost 1 in 4 (24%) say they were prosecuted or required to attend court.
Despite this, many parents remain unsure of the rules. 1in 5 (20%) also admit they actually find the rules confusing. In fact, when asked what they find most difficult, more than a quarter (28%) say keeping up with changing requirements as children grow is the biggest challenge, while almost 1 in 4 (23%) struggle to understand which car seat is appropriate for each age or stage.
The research also highlights widespread misconceptions around when children can stop using a car seat. Over half (64%) of parents don’t know the correct legal cut-off, which is that children generally need to use a car seat until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first.
1 in 5 (20%) have even considered changing or upgrading their car to better accommodate their family's seating needs. Meanwhile, 14% say they've struggled to fit all of their children's car seats into one vehicle.
Overall, the findings show just how much confusion still surrounds child car seat safety, with thousands of parents risking a fine, prosecution or worse, simply by misunderstanding the rules. Everyday pressures aren't helping either, from fitting multiple car seats into one vehicle to navigating taxis and ride shares without the right restraint on hand. But it's not just about avoiding a penalty. An incorrectly fitted or unsuitable car seat can leave a child seriously exposed to injury if an accident happens on the road. As enforcement steps up across the UK, many parents still aren't sure how to get it right at every stage of their child's growth. Almost half (45%) believe more guidance should be provided to parents about child passenger safety.
To help parents make the right choice for their child, Confused.com has launched a car seat safety checker. Parents simply enter their child's age and weight, and the tool instantly recommends the type of car seat or restraint appropriate for their stage, helping families keep their child safe, stay within the law, and avoid the cost of getting it wrong.
Matt Crole-Rees, motoring expert at Confused.com car insurance, comments:
“Getting your child's car seat right isn't just about avoiding a fine, it's one of the most important things a parent can do to keep them safe on every journey. Yet, despite most parents feeling confident in their knowledge, our research shows a significant number are still unsure exactly when their child should move onto the next stage, or which seat is right for their age and size. That uncertainty can have real consequences, both on the road and afterwards.
“It's also worth remembering that getting this wrong won't necessarily invalidate your car insurance outright. But following the law matters, for your child's safety first and foremost.
“Our car seat safety checker takes the guesswork out of the equation. By simply entering your child's age and weight, parents can get clear, instant guidance on the right seat for their child, helping families make safer choices and avoid falling foul of the law.”
- ENDS -
Unless otherwise stated, all research was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Confused.com OnePoll 1,200 parents with children under 12. This was conducted between the 19th and 25th June 2026.
1. In June 2025, Confused.com issued a Freedom of Information request, requesting the following information from Police Constabularies,
a. Please provide the total number of recorded driving offences involving a child passenger not being properly restrained in a vehicle (including no seatbelt or no car seat) in the calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
b. Please provide the total number of fines, fixed penalty notices, warnings and prosecutions issued for these offences in the calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
c. Please provide a breakdown of these offences by the age of the child involved, if available, in the calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Out of 45 constabularies, 31 provided data, 9 declined and 3 didn’t respond
2. https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules
4. Data on retraining courses were provided by 24 police constabularies, while data on prosecution referrals were provided by 26 police constabularies.
5. https://www.ukroed.org.uk/courses/
Media information
Confused.com press office
chloe.walters@confused.com
katharine.adair@confused.com
pressoffice@confused.com
About Confused.com
Launched in 2002, Confused.com was the UK’s first digital marketplace for car insurance and is one of the leading brands in the sector, generating over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the years to include home insurance, van insurance, motorcycle insurance, and car finance comparison, as well as a number of tools designed to save consumers money.
Confused.com is not an insurance company or lender. It provides an objective and unbiased service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com’s service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators. Confused.com is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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