Children under 8 years old must use car seats | Guide to purchasing child safety seats from birth to 12 years old | Assembly precautions | 5 safety tips

Legislative Council earlier Pass amendment legislation, starting from November 1, 2025, children under 8 years old and less than 1.35 meters tall must use child restraint devices that comply with international safety standards when riding in private cars; children 8 years old or above or passengers taller than 1.35 meters must use child restraint devices or wear adult seat belts, otherwise drivers are not allowed to drive private cars on any road. Among them, child restraint devices that meet legal requirements include seat belt adjusters, wearable safety restraint vests, foldable toddler booster seats and other portable products; the most commonly used ones are traditional child safety seats.

Drivers who violate the regulations may be issued a fixed penalty notice of $230; if the case is serious, the case may be referred to court, with a maximum fine of $2,000. The revised legislation has two exemptions, including when picking up children in an emergency and when the driver has reasonable grounds to believe that the passenger is over 8 years old or 1.35 meters tall.

Although cars have built-in seat belts, children or infants often cannot securely place them across their body, and in the event of an accident, ordinary seat belts will not be able to withstand the force of an impact. Therefore, to ensure that children are securely buckled in, they should be placed in a suitable safety seat or restraint device. This will reduce the risk of them being thrown out of the vehicle. The type of safety seat depends on the age and age of the child. We can check the Hong Kong Transport Department's Child Safety Guidelines Find out which kind is best for you. In addition, we should also ensure that the safety seat is properly installed and the seat belt is properly secured and buckled to the child.

Before you start picking, we strongly encourage you to carefully consider your options. As your child grows, the safety seat will also need to be replaced regularly. Your first consideration is the child's age, weight and height.

12 months or less

Children under 9kg who cannot sit upright on their own should lie flat in a cot or carrier in the back of the vehicle. If the crib is intended for use in a car, it should be fixed to the back seat using the straps or appropriate anchor points provided according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the child should be placed in the crib. If the crib is not designed for use in cars, the crib should be placed horizontally in the car, with the baby's head in the center of the car.

Ages 9 months to 4 years

Children weighing 9 to 19 kilograms who can sit upright on their own still need to sit in a rear-facing child safety seat until their height or weight exceeds the safety seat manufacturer's limits, usually until the child is two years old. In the event of a car crash or emergency braking, rear-facing child safety seats can protect the child's head, neck and spine. 

There are two types of rear-facing child safety seats:

3 to 12 years old

Children weighing 15 to 36 kilograms can use a child chest harness with a lap belt and two shoulder straps, or a basic harness plus a child safety seat. 

Safety seats come in different shapes and sizes, brands and manufacturers, all designed to protect your little one. Depending on your needs, there are everything from a basic child seat (approximately HK$900) to a seat with leather padding or one-hand reclining function (approximately HK$5,900). 

A child safety chair cannot be read in a single book. Cars come in different models, designs and sizes, and so do child car seats, requiring you to buy a larger or smaller seat. For accuracy, we recommend measuring where you want the car seat to be set up and comparing it to the base of the car seat you want to buy. If you purchase it from a retailer, you can also ask them if they can test the model on display in the car to make a sensory and visual evaluation. 

After choosing your favorite seat, you can ask the shop owner to help install it. However, if they are inconvenient, you can install them according to the safety seat regulations, which may specify the use of the vehicle's seat belts, ISOFIX or LATCH systems.

After installing the seat, place the child correctly on the seat. You want to make sure the tether straps are adjusted properly and that the harness comes from the correct slot. After placing the child, the belt buckle should be just closed so that the child is seated properly and securely.

1. Install the reversing camera

Children's bodies are small and thin, and they often fall into the driver's blind spot. A backup camera is a camera installed in the back seat of a car.Can reduce blind spot area by 90%, to prevent the driver from hitting children or objects when reversing.

2. Use child safety locks

When the car safety lock is locked, the door cannot be opened from inside the car. This can effectively prevent accidents caused by curious children opening doors and windows while the vehicle is in motion. Of course, you should also avoid letting children play with car keys or leaving them unattended in the car.

3. Tie objects tightly

You should tie down any loose items in the cargo area to prevent them from flying off during a sudden stop or unfortunate crash.

4. Don’t leave children alone in the car

You should always be alert because accidents can still happen even if you are not driving. Every year, there are cases of children being left in cars by their parents and suffering from heatstroke or even death from heat exhaustion. So always check the back seat before leaving the vehicle to avoid leaving children in a parked car.

5. Get the right car insurance

Although there is no insurance specifically designed for children, Hong Kong law stipulatesAll drivers must have car insurance. The most basic car insurance is third-party insurance, also known as three insurances, which provides compensation for third-party life and death of up to HK$100 million. Comprehensive insurance (full coverage), on the other hand, covers loss of life or property damage to third parties, as well as damage to your car.

If you are traveling by car with children, it is best to buyFull warrantyProtects third parties and your own car, even if you are the one causing the accident.You can also get full protection.