Child car seats
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Child car seats
Keeping the kids safe while driving is one those holiday essential items that you need to plan for in advance.  Remember that when you book car seats with your hire car most companies state that it is a provisional booking subject to availability so you may not get exactly what you think you have booked.  It's also important to factor in the cost as some hire companies charge more than it would cost to buy a new seat.  

So what are the options?
Hire car seats with the car but book in advance as the car hire cost will be cheaper and they will reserve a seat for you.  There are mixed reports about how good the seats are and many companies will not fit them for you. To make sure your child is safe check the structure of the seat under the outer fabric, make sure the seatbelt and the straps are not twisted and ensure the locking mechanism is secure.   If the seat is not secure in the seatbelt get help from the hire company.  This option can be eyewateringly expensive for longer hires as some companies charge per day.

Take your own seat with you - this sounds more of a hassle than it actually is and will often be free!  It also has the benefit of your seat being familiar to you and you can use it in a taxi to the airport.  Many airlines let you take car seats free of charge - here is a handy link which lists popular UK airlines and their rules on luggage (including car seats & pushchairs) for children and babies.

Child car seat laws
Laws about child seats vary from country to country.  If you want to check the child seat laws in the most common holiday destinations follow this link. 

Things that might help:

Car seat travel cover
It's always worth using a car seat cover if you are going to be putting your car seat through the hold.  As a safety item it is essential that nothing is broken or damaged for it to function properly and arriving with an unusable seat is costly and a total pain!  Also you can fit in nappies, blankets or other lightweight bulky items.

Portable booster seat
For older children who can mange with a booster seat, we love the Trunki Boostapak. It's so well designed as a little backpack that children can carry and put some toys in and then can be used as a booster seat. Our children have all used this many times and we have definitely made our money back on it.​​

Mifold Booster seat
Cleverly designed for children aged 4 to 12 this portable booster folds up really small and neat.  It works by ensuring the seatbelt is the best fit for the child.  It is really easy to use - most children should be able to fit themselves into it. 

Favourite car seat photo ever!

Propriano, Corsica

The Algarve, Portugal

Mont-Saint-Michel, France

near Alassio, Italy