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What are the rules for child car seats in Italy?

I am taking a holiday in Italy this year and will be hiring a car. Hertz have offered a car seat for our daughter which is fine.

She will just be 8 by the time we travel so whilst she has a dedicated fixed car seat in the family car here in the UK I’m not sure what the rules are in Italy. Of course her safety is paramount and some car seat will be required but would we require a standard (Isofix style) large car seat or would a more simple firm foam booster seat ‘cushion’ be adequate for their laws?

Asked on 2 May 2024 by Hugh

Answered by David Ross
The rules regarding use of child seats in Italy are that children up to 1.5m in height must be placed in an approved restraint system or seated in a child seat suitable for their weight. Children over 1.5m must wear ordinary adult seat belts. The legislation goes on to say that children aged 5 to 12 or 22kg to 36kg are in group 3, can be placed in a front or rear seat and should use a forward-facing seat, but it is no more specific than that, so there is no reason to believe that a booster seat would be insufficient or against the regulations.

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