Check the car's Euro NCAP rating

The European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) provides an independent assessment of popular cars' safety performance. The http://www.euroncap.com/ website provides test results, and allows visitors to compare the safety test results of various car models. Some cars with excellent child safety ratings include:

Small Family Cars

* Citroen C4 (2004)

* Fiat Bravo (2007)

* Ford Focus (2004)

* Honda Civic (2007)

Large Family Cars

* Audi A4 (2008)

* BMW 3 Series (2005)

* Citroen C5 (2008)

* Ford Mondeo (2007)

Check If Your Pram Fits In The Boot!

People often assume that prams easily fit into car boots, but with certain models including the larger Silver Cross prams it is essential to check first! The easiest way to do this is to ensure that you take your pram with your when viewing the car.

Check If Your Car Seat Fits Properly

In the United Kingdom, an estimated two out of three child seats are fitted improperly, and this presents a huge danger to children. Properly fitted car seats must move no more than a few centimetres in each direction, and some cars have seat belts that are too short to correctly fit around a child seat. Ensure that you take your child seats with you when viewing a potential car to purchase.

Can Airbags Be Disabled?

Whilst airbags have been one of the most important life-saving devices in modern car safety, they present a huge risk to children in rear-facing car seats, and children in this position can be killed by airbag deployment. Safety guidelines recommend that children under 11yrs of age should never be in the front seat, and instead should be positioned in the back seats with a shoulder harness. Check that airbags can be disabled if you have a baby or young child sitting in rear-facing car seats.

Does the middle back seat have a lap and shoulder strap?

If you have three children in the back, it is extremely dangerous for the one sitting in the centre seat to be strapped in with a lap-only strap. Never put a child into a seat with a lap-only strap as a crash could cause severe abdominal injuries, and ensure that the middle seat has shoulder support too.

Do The Rear Doors Have Child Locks?

This is not a legal requirement, but child locks are a simple measure to prevent the most horrific accidents. Children are curious beings, and telling them "not to open the door" can provoke this curiousity. Take this matter out of their hands by ensuring that child locks are active at all times.

Choose Your Car Size Wisely

Although it is easier to manouvure small cars in built-up city areas, statistics show that twice as many people die in smaller, lighter cars each year in relation to larger, more heavier models. This doesn't mean that the only option is a monster-sized 4x4; large family cars such as the Ford Mondeo are classed as large cars. Also, do not underestimate how much more convienient 5-door models are than 3-door models when transporting large families in your car.