If you have children who regularly travel in a car seat, you might want to pay attention to the following. The Government has announced a major clampdown on parents who don’t put their children in the correct car seat (or who don’t strap them in properly) while travelling.

The Irish Daily Star reports that six of the seven new penalty-points offences that have been brought in by the Minister for Transportation, Leo Varadkar, relate to the use of seat belts and child safety in cars.

“Shocking as it may sound, there are still motorists who permit children under three to travel without being properly restrained,” said the Minister, speaking yesterday.

Is your child belted-in properly?

Under the new law, drivers who do not have their children restrained properly will be given at least 2 penalty points.

The move by the Minister for Transportation was welcomed by the Road Safety Authority and by the childcare storeMothercare. Mothercare has said that it will check child car seats for free if parents are worried or unsure of how to restrain their child properly.

Sonia Harris, a spokesperson for Mothercare, said that the EU states that children must use a car seat until they are either 150cm (just under 5ft) or 12 years old – whichever they reach first.

“These penalty points mean this law can now be implemented,” she said.

So ladies, if you have a little one on board, it might be worth checking your car seat and making sure that you’re using the right one for your child.