Child Car Seat Dilemma

The article is reproduced from the 11 March 2007 issue of the Sunday Times.

"I am writing with a problem my son is experiencing, and I am sure must apply to lots of others with regard to new booster seat laws for children less than 4ft 5in tall.

The car in question is an 06 Audio A3 and the problem is fitting two children less than two years old in safety seats and a five-year old on a booster seat in the back. There simply is not enough width.

Short of trading the car in for something bigger such as an MPV, which is not the preferred option, are there any other solutions that will comply with the law and maintain comfort for the youngsters?

When we had three children of this age we had an Escort Mk1 and even though in those days you had to do a lot of drilling to carry out we were able to fit two child seats in the back and a full body harness restraint in the centre."

Peter Turner, Denshaw, Saddleworth