We all love to adventure and explore. For those lucky enough to be able to journey abroad with their kids, travel can provide exciting experiences and create cherished memories which last a lifetime.
But, as with any holiday, safety should always be a consideration. If you’re hiring a rental car, or taking your own overseas, brushing up on the local car seat rules is a must. That’s especially true in India, where rules regarding car seats are new.
Parents and legal guardians travelling abroad may want to learn more about the laws of the country they’re holidaying in. Thinking about taking a trip with the little ones in the near future? Our comprehensive global map will let you know the child car seat dos and don’ts for everywhere and anywhere you might travel.
Quick Pullouts:
Car seat ages
*Disclaimer*: While the law is different in every country, we encourage all parents and legal guardians to take the necessary steps to keep their children safe when driving. As a rough guideline, that means using the following types of seat:
Babies (0-2) – Rear-facing
Toddlers (3-4) – Forward-facing
Infants (5-8) – Booster seats
Older children (9-12) – Backless booster seats
Understanding different child car seats and their safe usage in India
Now that you know what rules to follow for your destination, it’s time to brush up on which seats are best for your kids. Remember – even in countries where no official laws exist, it’s always smart (and safer) for young kids to be buckled into a child seat during journeys. In this section we’ll look at the different types of seat available, as well as help you brush up on some general safety tips.
As every parent knows, little ones sprout up quickly. And as wonderful as it is to see them grow, that does also mean having to regularly change their car seat. There are four main seat options that parents should know about, depending on your child’s age and size:
Rear-facing car seats
Best for infants during the first few years of their lives, these seats offer protection for a child’s head, back, and spine. It can be attached in either the front passenger seat or rear of your vehicle, and usually work for kids as old as four.
Forward-facing car seats
As they continue to grow, a child can be placed in a forward-facing seat. For this to work, they need to be able to sit tall and straight, without moving. That’s why they’re generally only for toddlers and up. Kids who fit into this range tend to be anywhere from three to six years of age, but the exact specifications will depend on their weight and height.
Booster seats
Next comes the booster seat. These allow for a child to sit in the back of a vehicle, with the booster making it easier for them to be safely attached via the car's actual seat belts. Big kids can sometimes put up a fight when asked to sit in a booster, so try to make it feel like a fun or special chair for them, rather than a chore.
Seat belts
Last but not least, kids will eventually grow enough to use the regular seat belts in a car. If you’re confused about whether the seat belt fits a child properly, make sure to carry out the full seat belt test.
The age, height, and weight at which each of these seats needs to be used will change, depending on the country you’re in. That’s why our handy map exists to help you know what rules to follow.
Car seat rules in India
A new set of laws were introduced in India in December of 2024, which were intended to keep kids safer on the road. These were targeted at both regular vehicles and two-wheelers – which are commonly used on the streets of India.
Rules for regular vehicles
The new rules state that all children below a height of 135cm (4ft 5in) must travel in some kind of child seat, and are not allowed to be in the front seat of a vehicle.
All children younger than four must travel in either a rear or forward-facing seat. This will be determined by the height and weight of the child. You can look for specifications on any seat to see if the little one in question is the right size. As a rule of thumb, they shouldn’t be able to move around or wiggle out of the seat.
Any child aged between four and 14 should travel in a booster seat, until they reach a height of 135cm. This seat should protect their back and needs to be placed in the rear of the vehicle.
Rules for two-wheelers
When riding on any kind of bike or vehicle with two wheels, children under the age of four must wear a helmet at all times. While a safety harness is encouraged to keep a child attached to the rider, this is not a necessity.
Interestingly, these new rules are not going to be heavily enforced in all Indian states at first. It’s at the discretion of each individual state government to decide if they want to penalise drivers for not following the rules.
In Kerala, for example, transport minister K B Ganesh Kumar has already come out and made it clear that seat rules are not mandatory. While the messaging is confusing from these institutional bodies, the best advice for parents is to always strap in their kids when required.
Type labelling for universal use
Not all seats fit safely into every car or van. Knowing whether or not one will work for yours depends on its label. Here are what the three different types of label mean:
Universal approval | Semi-universal approval | Vehicle-specific approval |
|---|---|---|
Labels that are universal can be used in any car. | If a model is semi-universal, you’ll need to check your car’s manual to see if the seat will fit. | These seats can only be used in certain vehicles. |
These ratings will be easy to spot on the orange label that’s included on any seats. Fingers crossed your seat is universally approved. If it isn’t, you may need to do a little bit of research to see if it’s safe for your car.
India road safety and car seat statistics
The need for laws enforcing the use of child car seats in India is not something which has gone unnoticed by the government. Figures recently revealed that 75% of parents were not aware that child seats were even an option.
This has sadly resulted in the country experiencing an average of 30 child deaths every day on Indian roads. To put these numbers into context, across the globe in Germany, just 44 children lost their lives across the entirety of 2023.
In total, the numbers for 2024 in India look like this:
55,000 children have died on Indian roads since 2008
54% of children do not wear a seatbelt when in a car
79.9% of parents do not own child helmets for use on a motorbike
Despite this, there’s hesitancy around the adoption of these seats. 56% of parents said they weren’t willing to pay for a car seat, while a general lack of knowledge around car seat usage has also contributed to this resistance.
One eye-opening figure went as far as to suggest that 39% of all deaths on Indian roads could have been prevented with the use of child car seats. That equates to 2,771 children who lost their lives as a result of not using the correct safety equipment.
The numbers emphasize the importance of correct child seat usage when on the roads. With laws slowly being introduced to enforce this, there’s hope that these figures will continue to dip as the years go by.
Child seat safety tips
A child car seat won’t do much good if a little one isn’t properly strapped in. To make sure a seat is protecting a child as it should, keep these handy tips in mind:
Choosing the best seat type
With so many options to choose between, it might be tricky to work out what’s best for your child. Make sure to know their weight and height when looking for one – as well as brushing up the rules of any foreign country you’re visiting.
Watch your child’s positioning
If a child can wiggle around, or doesn’t seem supported in their seat, it could be that they’re too small for it. Also watch for where the seat belt rests on older children. It needs to be across the chest and on the bony part of their shoulders, rather than behind their back or under their arm.
Check expiration dates
Strange as it sounds, child car seats can expire. You can find this date on the orange label that comes with the seat, or in the instruction manual that was in the box with it.
Check online tutorials to be sure
Watching online tutorials explaining how to safely install the seat that you’re using can be a gamechanger. These step-by-step guides can sometimes be easier to understand than a text-heavy manual, as you’ll be able to watch them over and see exactly what the driver in the video is doing. Look for tutorials provided by the manufacturer or reputable sources.
When using the carrier outside the vehicle
Sometimes it’s easier to keep a child in their seat when moving them outside of a vehicle. This is perfectly safe, so long as you keep them securely buckled, never place them on a raised surface (where they could fall), and immediately take your little one out of the seat once it’s safe to do so at your end destination.
Don’t use non-approved accessories
You may find some brands include accessories to make a journey more comfortable for a child. Make sure you’re only attaching any that are officially licensed to be included on your seat. Unlicensed products could malfunction.
Do the seat belt fit test
It could be that you think your child is ready for a traditional seat belt. If so, this quick test will let you know if a child is ready for this big step or not:
