More safety for babies and children with matching child seats

Safety in the car comes first. Whether during the holiday season, on the way to shopping or on a short trip to kindergarten, children and babies should be given the highest attention so that safety is not neglected. For this reason, the use of child seats is already a legal requirement in order to provide the child with an optimal basis for safety and protection while driving. Nowadays child seats are available in a wide range of designs, so it is not easy to choose the right seat at first glance.

How can a high-quality child seat be identified?

High-quality child seats are difficult to recognise at first glance because, as so often, the devil is in the detail. Test seals on the packaging on the seat indicate whether the seat can be used in road traffic in accordance with EU directives. The manufacture of such a seat should also take place in a country where the safety of the individual materials is guaranteed. Only in this way can the child seat be used without danger. It is recommended to refrain from cheap products and no-name providers, which attract with low prices, but do not have any recognizable security or test seals. High-quality child seats offer upholstery of the seat surface, are constructed of child-friendly materials and provide a high level of seating comfort, even on long journeys. Differences are also made in baby carriers and child seats, the height and weight of the child decide individually on the selection of the necessary seat. In general, the modern child seats can be integrated into any car and offer support in terms of child safety. The child seat in the outstanding quality of a brand manufacturer also allows the use of a Within this warranty, the seat is usually replaced free of charge by the manufacturer in the event of possible damage.

Quality through the ECE inspection sticker

Manufacturers who produce child seats not only mark their seats with an external test seal, but also with an ECE test badge. This ECE test badge provides information on whether the child seat or the baby seat is approved for use in Germany at all. Detailed crash tests, carried out throughout the EU, ensure that consumers can be sure that seats with the ECE test sticker meet the high demands of child seats. Some manufacturers punch the badge visibly into the material of the seat, others stick it on. The orange test badge serves as an easily recognisable feature that additionally underlines the safety of the child seats and simplifies the purchase of such a seat. However, the test sticker ECE-NORM R 44/04 does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the actual safety of a seat; it only guarantees the buyer that the corresponding seats have actually been tested and approved in the EU. A comparison of baby car seats and child seats therefore clearly shows that there can be considerable differences in the safety range even for seats that have such a test seal.

The latest standard is called ECE-R129 and is also known as test standard i-Size. In 2013, this standard was used for the first time and can also be used because it offers even more safety. Particularly in the area of possible accidents with side impact, this test standard serves to guarantee a higher protection according to newest standards in the area of the child seat. Anyone who finds the test number ECE-NORM R 44/04 on the child seat has sufficient Protection when shopping, with the ECE-R129 standard the consumer receives additional protection.

Is a child seat mandatory in road traffic?

Only those who have a suitable restraint system in their car may carry a child. This law is designed to protect children’s lives in road traffic and has now become established in most EU countries. Nowadays, anyone who is on the road in Germany and carries a child in a car must either use a legally approved baby seat or a legally approved child seat, depending on size and weight. In addition to the reckless play with life, high fines may otherwise be imposed. The Federal Republic of Germany therefore has a child seat obligation. Children must use a child seat in their car up to the age of 12. This applies up to a height of 1.50 cm. A fine, or rather a warning fine, is always due if the child is not sufficiently secured despite the child seat. Without the use of a child seat, traffic control becomes considerably more expensive. In this case the driver collects a dreaded point in Flensburg and has to pay 60 Euro out of his own pocket. Since this is about the welfare of the child, experts even understandably advise an increase in the warning money so that the child is sufficiently secured.

Child seats are not only mandatory in your own car, but must also be used in taxis, school buses or coaches when transporting children up to 12 years of age who have not yet exceeded 1.50 cm in height. Many companies already offer the child seat on their travels, but if you want to be on the safe side, you can buy your own child seat and use it on your next long-distance bus trip or in a taxi.

According to which specifications should child seats

be selected?

To make it even easier for parents to find the right child seat, manufacturers have divided them into three groups, which are subdivided again according to weight. The first group is the size 0/0+ and designates the so-called baby car seats. Baby car seats are used up to an age of 15 months with a weight of up to 13 kilos. In most cases, the baby carriers are fastened in the opposite direction to the direction of travel, as this provides even better protection for the baby. Locked on a so-called Iso-FIX base and secured with a three-point belt, nothing stands in the way of the journey with the baby. The next group is called “1” and is suitable for children up to the age of three. The maximum weight is 18 kilos. Unlike classic baby seats, a Group 1 child seat is mounted in the direction of travel, even if there are a few models on the market that are used in the opposite direction and with which the harness belt system is already used. Other models that are assigned to group 1 are secured with a safety catch. Children weighing more than 9 kilos use group 2/3 child seats. These seats are valid up to a weight of 15 kilos and are permitted for a maximum age of up to 12 years. By dividing the group system, concerned parents will find it even easier to find the right seat for the child at the right age and weight.

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What child seat models are available?

The reboarder for babies

Babies today benefit from the use of the reboarder. As the name suggests, the reboarder is mounted against the direction of travel and offers the child additional protection. Even in the event of a sudden emergency stop, the baby is optimally secured in the reboarder, as the latest tests of seats and baby seats have shown. A reboarder protects the sensitive cervical spine and the baby’s head. Reboarders look like a baby seat. Experts recommend the use of reboarders even up to a child age of 4 years, because only with 4 years the cervical spine of a child has stabilized sufficiently so that a conventional child seat can find its application. After analysing the grouping of child seats, parents can switch from a classic reboarder to a child seat in group 1 as early as group 1, which means that if the weight exceeds 13 kilos. In particular, if the baby seat becomes too small, a change is recommended, as otherwise the safety of the reboarder can no longer be guaranteed. However, as long as the baby fits into the reboarder, it should also use it.

Back relief during heavy transport: The advantages of the traveller system

The independent sitting posture of a child is not an indication that it is possible to switch to a seat in Group 1 at an early stage. Although many parents complain that the infant carrier becomes heavier in a very short time as the child gains weight, manufacturers have developed the practical Traveller system for this purpose. By using the traveller system, the infant carrier can be integrated into a pram. This eliminates the heavy transport of the reboarder from the front door to the car and the back of the person in charge is considerably relieved.

Advantages of the Reboarder at a glance:

can be integrated into the pram
easy transport of the reboarder to the vehicle

The classic child seat of group 1 or group 2/3

The grouping of the individual child seats is only a guideline, because parents should always take this into account when they are looking for a new child seat. However, the height and weight of a child can vary greatly depending on the individual, so it is recommended that you in case of doubt to let the child sit in the test seat and not to pay attention to the grouping, if the child can easily find room in the reboarder, for example. However, if weight and height fit, group 1 or 2/3 seats will be used at some point. It is important to ensure that both the shoulders and the head are sufficiently supported so that the child receives optimum sitting comfort and safety is supported. It may well happen that the head protrudes a few centimetres beyond the support, but care should be taken to ensure that it is held optimally by the headrest of the child seat and does not slip over it, even if the child is the right size.

What safety systems are available to adequately protect the child in the child seat?

The manufacturers are always careful to use the latest safety concepts and to check them. EU regulations require all child seats to undergo such checks in order to ensure the highest level of safety at all times. If the seat has no test seal or offers unknown safety features, it is advisable to take a closer look and, if in doubt, to choose another manufacturer for child seats. A popular safety method is the use of the safety catchers on child seats. Child seats equipped with such a safety system have a small table device which catches and protects the child’s body in an accident situation. Instead of belt systems, the catching bodies ensure that the sensitive points of the child are adequately protected. A further safety concept is the three-point belt. Often child seats from group 2/3 offer such a safety system. The three-point harness secures the child perfectly in the seat, but also The belt should not cut the child’s neck and should instead focus on securing the entire upper body. Many manufacturers offer side impact protection technologies to provide the best possible protection in the event of an accident with vehicle impact on the child’s seat side. These side impact protection technologies ensure that the child does not experience the full force of the impact in the event of an accident and that the body is adequately protected.

These security systems are available:

Catching body system
three-point belt
Side Impact Technologies
isofix

Protection with Isofix – Modern child seats with easy installation

Isofix offers even stronger protection. Unlike earlier child seats, which were integrated into the car only loosely or clamped, Isofix technology enables the seat to be held firmly. Isofix stands for international standard organization for fixation. The international standard organization for fixation can be found in many modern passenger cars and not only allows a simple assembly by a click system, but ensures standardized that the seat can no longer slip, but instead the safety elements for holding the seat are attached by the vehicle manufacturer between the rows of seats by the standard of the international standard organization for fixation and are firmly installed with the car. The child seats of modern manufacturers are often equipped with Isofix and can be easily snapped into the devices. Thanks to the Isofix fuses and brackets, the child seat no longer slips and also ensures that even inexperienced users cannot install the seat incorrectly. Parents who wish to purchase such a seat should make sure that the manufacturer has integrated a Universal-Isofix option. For many parents it is also recommended to use the Isofix System to retrofit in your vehicle. Isofix ensures more safety and ultimately even saves time when assembling the seat.

Conclusion:

The search for a child seat should not be carried out without thought. Security comes first, so in case of doubt it is worth investing a little more money in the latest security concepts and paying attention to important test seals. The division into groups of child seats for children and babies also makes it easy to select the right seat. Nevertheless, the child’s individual weight and height should be taken into account in order to ensure adequate safety in all cases. When using modern safety solutions, it is also advisable to retrofit the car and use a traveller system when carrying the reboarder.

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