My husband and I are expecting our firstborn in July. What exactly are the guidelines on seats for infants in cars?

It is a legal requirement for all vehicle occupants below 1.35m tall to use a child restraint, except when travelling in a taxi.

Infants should be in rear-facing car seats for at least the first two years of their lives. These seats – which often double as portable cradles – can typically be used until the child exceeds 13kg or his head is no longer contained inside the car seat.

Full-sized child seats can then take over. These should serve the needs of children right up to their fifth or sixth birthdays.

After which, they can switch to a booster seat, which essentially props them higher up so that the seatbelt is positioned comfortably across their chest.

It is best to install all child or baby seats in the car’s rear left seat. The airbag in the front passenger seat may be dangerous to infants when fully deployed.