UK parents unknowingly putting children at risk

31 March 2025

Campaigners are calling for urgent updates to UK car seat guidance after a new study found that the majority of parents turn their children forward-facing before the age of four - despite evidence from the world’s toughest crash tests proving rear-facing seats are up to five times safer.

The research, conducted by Swedish child car seat specialists, Axkid , among 1,000 UK and 1,000 Swedish parents, found that just 22% of UK children aged two to four-years-old remain in rear-facing car seats, compared to 83% in Sweden, putting children in the UK at increased risk of life-threatening injury in the event of a crash.

The study also revealed concerning behaviours and a significant lack of awareness and understanding among UK parents about child car seat safety

Rear-facing seats offer the highest level of protection by effectively distributing crash forces and significantly reducing the risk of serious neck and head injuries in a collision. Only rear-facing car seats can pass the Swedish Plus Test - the world’s toughest car seat crash test.