RAA motoring expert Mark Borlace says that if your car has side airbags, it does matter.

‘If the side of the seat is covered, the airbag wouldn’t be able to deploy as it’s designed to in the event of a crash,’ Mr Borlace explains.

‘These days there are more vehicles on the road that are fitted with side airbags in the driver and front passenger seats.’

There are two types of car seat covers that are compatible with side airbags:

• Covers with computerised stitching, which is designed to ‘burst’ when the airbag deploys.
• Covers with an open space on the side of the seat.

‘If you decide to purchase car seat covers with the open space, just make sure when you fit them that the open space is over the area where the airbag would deploy,’ said Mr Borlace.

‘If the cover moves out of place, it could have an impact on how the airbag deploys in the event of a crash.’

Before you buy car seat covers, either for yourself, or as a gift for someone else, check the following:

• Make sure you are selecting car seat covers that are compatible with the vehicle’s make, model and seat type.
• Confirm whether or not your vehicle has side airbags. If you’re unsure, most seats will have a tag or label on the side of the seat, or you can check the vehicle’s manual.
• Before purchasing, don’t hesitate to check with the retailer’s staff to make sure you’ve selected the right covers for your vehicle, and ask whether the product has been safety tested.
• You could also consider visiting your vehicle dealer’s parts department, as genuine accessories will more than likely be designed to be compatible with the vehicles safety features.
• As a general rule, if the sales staff can’t prove to you the seat cover they are selling is safe, don’t buy it.

And when you’re ready to fit them, remember the following:

• Read the fitting instructions before placing the covers on the seats.
• Ensure you are putting the covers on the correct seat – i.e. left and right sides.
• Attach all straps and ties under the seat.
• After fitting cover, check that all the seat adjustments work correctly, which should also ensure that the cover is fitted securely.