Installing and getting a child safely into a car seat is one challenge most parents face.

In aid of Child Safety Week, (7th-13th June) the experts at GoCompare have looked at those places in the UK with the highest number of people looking for help with their child car seat struggles – and crucially, what the government guidelines are for buying a car seat and what insurance will cover a damaged seat.

Bradford came top of the list for internet searches on child car seat issues, followed up by the City of London. But parents in these cities are not alone, as Glasgow, Bristol and Brighton all made the top 10 list. 

According to the report, Bradford accounted for 12.1% of total searches around how to ‘fit a child car seat’, and at the other end of the list, Worcester and Aberdeen, claimed just 5.5% of the searches.

All parents know that buying a child car seat can be a minefield, but GoCompare recommends looking at reviews before purchasing a child car seat. According to 2,398 reviews from Halfords and 91 from Argos, Joie car seats, with average ratings of 4.7 and 4.9 respectively, are clearly hitting the mark with parents. Britax also scored highly, with an average rating of 4.9 stars across Argos and Halfords websites.

Lee Griffin, expert at GoCompare and parent added:  “Having been through the experience of fitting a child car seat and ensuring that it meets all the safety standards, I for one understand the stress it can be – every parent wants to make sure their child is safe when travelling so finding the right car seat, and fitting it, can be a challenge. 

“I learnt, for example, that child car seats come in five categories depending on the child. It’s really useful to review the government’s guidance on car seat groups and regulations before you purchase, to be sure that you end up with the right product. The range of child car seats you can choose from include rear-facing baby seats, forward-facing car seats and high back booster seats.

“Beyond this, while a child car seat will keep your little one safe, it is also important to consider if you need to check if you have the right car insurance for your circumstances. Your policy can cover the cost of a replacement child car seat if yours gets damaged in an accident or stolen. Check with your insurer whether or not they offer cover for car seats – not all do.”