New rules about backless booster seats in cars will limit their use to older children.

All children who are passengers in a car must use a booster seat until they are 12-years-old, or 135cm tall.

Some seats have high backs and others are backless. Toddlers weighing as little as 15kg can travel in the backless booster seats, but there are concerns about how safe they are for such small children. 

What's changing?

Which? has reported that regulations will change later this year and the backless seats will only be for children who are taller than 125cm and weigh more than 22kg.

The consumer watchdog said backless booster seats, also known as booster cushions, were "temptingly cheap to buy" but it did not recommend them.

Which? child car seat expert Lisa Galliers said: "A decent high-backed booster seat provides better protection in a front crash, as they're designed to guide the adult seat-belt across the child's body properly, and our crash tests prove they offer much more protection in a side-impact crash that a backless booster seat alone."

The extra rules are expected to be introduced in December 2016 and apply to new products on the market.

More information about car child seat rules can be found here. The penalty for breaking rules is a fine of up to £500.