The Legislative Decree 13 March 2006 no. 150, that came into force on 14th April 2006, modified art. 172 of the Highway Code: “Use of seat belts and other car restraint devices for children”. In general the changes adopted can be summed up in this simple rule: every time you seat in a vehicle equipped with seat belts, both the driver and the passengers are required to wear seat belts at all times.
In case of children the appropriate restraint systems must be adopted (infant car seats or booster seats). The new article introduced important changes on the use of these safety devices for the driver and the passengers.
There are two types of safety devices that can be used: infant car seats and booster seats. These should be used starting very early on, choosing according to the baby’s weight and following the device’s instructions manual carefully.
The transport of children in a vehicle is regulated by article 172 of the Highway Code (modified by Legislative Decree no. 150 of 13th April 2006), by EU regulations and by the implementation document (.pdf 528 kb) issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
Safety seats are compulsory for children from birth to 36 kg in weight: up to 18 kg infant car seats can be used, while booster seats are suitable for children above this weight.
The latter are tiny seats that, by lifting the baby, make it possible to use the vehicle’s seat belts that can be fastened under the seat’s side wings, crossing the chest longitudinally.
It should be noted that the safety devices generally fitted on any vehicles are not suitable for people less than 1,50 m tall. Up to 9 kg in weight, the baby should be rear-facing.
Warning: babies should never be sitting in the front seat if the car has airbags, unless they can be turned off.
The most suitable place for a baby is on the rear seat at the centre, which also provides protection against side impacts.
From 10 kg in weight up, the baby seat can face forward. The baby seat’s backrest must be placed against the car seat and the seat belts present on the device must be fastened at all times, also for short distances.