Babies “R” Us at Toys “R” Us offers car seat safety tips for parents

Following the recent announcement from the UAE Ministry of Interior's High Committee for Child Protection regarding installing children's car seats, Babies "R" Us at Toys "R" Us is offering guidelines for parents to help them find the right car seat for their child.

The Al-Futtaim group company understands there is nothing more important than the safety of children and remains committed to staying at the forefront of improvements to safety standards.

According to safety regulations, children, who are less than one year old, must be seated in a child car seat. For children 6-9 months old, or those weighing under 10kgs, seats must face the rear of the car. Seats can face forward for children from nine months to four years of age and weighing 9kgs to 18kgs. Seat boosters can be used for children four years to six years of age and weighing 15kgs to 25kgs. Support cushions can be used for children six years to 11 years and weighing 22kgs to 36kgs.

The following safety checklist can help parents while buying car seats for their children.

Safety Checklist for parents while purchasing car seats

1. It is the weight of the child and not the age that is the determining factor when purchasing or using a car seat.
   
2. You need to take into account the type of car you drive as not all car seats fit into all vehicles.
   
3. Parents must check that the child's harness is tightly adjusted on every trip, ensuring only the thickness of two fingers can be inserted between the harness and the child's chest.

Advice to Parents

1. Never under any circumstances use any child seat on a passenger seat fitted with an air bag.
2. Never use a seat which has been involved in an accident.
3. Never use a second hand seat - it may be damaged.
4. Never modify the car seat in any way.
5. Never fit a child's safety seat with anything other than a car seat belt, Isofix anchors or a manufacturer's approved fitting kit.

Babies "R" Us at Toys "R" Us offers a broad assortment of car seats providing exceptional value. The car seats from Babies "R" Us at Toys "R" Us offer the latest and safest designs.

The Babies "R" Us at Toys "R" Us car seat selection includes exclusive brands such as Bruin, and other leading car seats brands including Fisher Price, Maxi-Cosi, Graco, Maclaren, Peg Perego amongst others - all of which have exceeded some of the most stringent safety requirements worldwide.

The range includes car seats for newborns and all the way up to six years or up to 25kgs. Parents of newborns have the option of rear-facing car seat-cum-carrier allowing easy transfer of their baby from home to car and vice-versa. The extensive selection also includes the forward-facing, high-back booster or simple booster seats.

Babies "R" Us at Toys "R" Us team members can help assess individual customer's needs and will guide them through the selection process ensuring the car seat suits their child. In addition to product advice, the store also offers free installation for all customers purchasing car seats.

For more information, customers can call the Toys "R" Us stores at Dubai Festival City (04 206 6552), Times Square Center (04 341 8383), Deira City Centre (04 236 4166), Sahara Centre (06 531 5915) and Sharjah City Centre (06 537 0980) in Sharjah, Meena Free Port Area in Abu Dhabi (02 673 2332) and Bawadi Mall in Al Ain (03 784 0290).