US vs UK car seats...

I have noticed the UK car seats do not have the chest buckle (although some are marketed in both countries).  Where can you get a chest buckle?  I need to get a new more narrow car seat for the baby - my car cannot handle 2 boosters plus the car seat in the back seat.   I personally prefer the chest buckle as it keeps the little ones more secure in the event of an accident.

On this topic was surprised to learn from the health visitor that most babies are put forward facing around 9 mos - when they outgrow the infant car seat.  Since I have had 2 kids in the US - I am more comfortable with the US standards (1 year and 20 lbs); although they say even longer is safer.

Thanks again for any insights!

I want to know the answer to this, too!

I didn't know there was a difference.  We have a Graco car seat which came with our travel system.  Graco is a US company.  It has two straps that come down over the shoulders and join together then slot into a third one which comes up from under the crotch area.  According to the instructions that came with it, where and how it is situated in the car depends on the car model. For some, it recommends rear facing, others forward, some in the middle of the back seat, others behind either the passenger or driver's seat.

I can only assume any differences between the UK and US car setas must be due to the different safety regulations between the US and EU.

Pebbles might know more, she has experience with babies in both the US & UK.

The US car seats have an additional chest buckle on all car seats (infant & regular) which the UK car seats don't.  I found it to help 2 fold - 1-keeps child from wiggling out of straps as easily and 2-helps keep child in seat in case of accident.

Not sure if you can see the difference in these 2 pics....

US Car Seat


UK Car Seat

Yep I can see it, the plastic buckle that joins the 2 shoulder straps together.  I haven't had any problems with Ethan wriggling out of his straps and he is quite a wriggler. I keep the straps pretty tight though.  No idea why they have that in the US and not here, how odd. I wonder if all the car seats are like that or is it just Graco?

Hi,

I was wondering the same thing myself.  I was looking for a seat with a chest buckle when we bought ours and couldn't find one. 

Argos does the those car seats, ive even seen the one in the photo in their catalogue