[Networkguy]

>Now have a MaxiCosi Priory XP (as my daughter is too big for
>the other one now) which fits fine. However, before I bought
>it I checked out the Which? guide to car seats. The results
>shocked me. I could not believe how many of the seats are
>unsafe and that compulsory testing is limited. Apparently they
>don't even have to do side impact tests.

Likewise I have just 'upgraded' to the XP (for the same reasons) but you obviously didn't catch the worse bit of safety research which was actually published by Volvo 3 months or so ago.

Put simply, all the research is very clear in that you should never put a child under the age of 3 years old in a forward facing seat.

Of course, none of the main vendors in the UK make a rear facing seat big enough.

So I rang Britax and put this to them.

There response was that they agreed 100% with the Volvo research and also pointed out that in some countries this is actually the law but even though it is proven to be safer, as the UK legislation does not say they have to make rear facing seats, they don't bother.

They did however tell me about a place in Milton Keynes that imports such seats from Sweden and guess what. Even though they are imported, they actually meet all the legislation for the UK.

If you have a child under the age of 3 years old in a forward facing seat, DO NOT read the Volvo publication on this subject as it will upset you.

PS

If anybody wants a copy of this publication, mail me and I will send you a copy (1MB zipped PDF).