London parents are the worst for making sure their children are using car seats which are important for their safety.

According to figures collected by insurance comparison site Confused.com, 75 per cent of London parents with children under the age of 12 do not know the current laws about child car seats.

It was also revealed there were 1,966 incidents recorded by the Metropolitan police where drivers did not meet safety requirements for their children in 2015, making up almost half of all UK cases.

A total of 8,027 child car safety offences have been recorded in London since 2013.

The current law says children must use the correct car seat for their height, age and weight until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever they reach first.

Any child weighing over 15kg – the average weight for a three-year-old – can use a backless booster seat.

However parents struggling to grasp the current rules may be even left more confused as these laws are set to change early next year, extending safety seat requirements to bigger and older children.

These changes will affect regulations for car seat manufacturers but parents who already own booster seats will not be required to buy new ones to meet new rules.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, says: “Given London parents’ confusion about the current car seat regulations, the new rules about backless booster seats will make it even trickier for parents to know how to keep their children safe.

“The fact backless car seats will still be acceptable to use if they were bought before the law change sends mixed safety messages.

“If regulations for manufacturers state heavier and taller children should be using booster seats with backs, then why aren’t the same rules being extended to parents?

“The messaging needs to be simplified so parents are certain which type of seating will provide their children with the best protection.”

Under the new rules use of booster seats with backs will be extended for use by heavier and taller children up to 125cm and up to 22kg (3st 5lb).

More than a third of London parents have admitted to not using a car seat for their child, with some saying they forgot, some saying they thought their child didn’t need one and others claiming they were only taking a short trip.

Exceptions can be made for parents who do not use safety seats if police are satisfied the trip is short and an emergency.

If a parent is caught by police neglecting to use the correct safety seat for their child, they could face a fine of £100.