Child passenger

Nowadays, children start travelling by car from literally the first weeks of life. To ensure car journeys are safe, parents need to arrange for the purchase of a car seat in good time.

CHOOSING BY WEIGHT

Modern parents hardly need to be convinced that a car seat is essential for a child's safety from the first days of life up to the age of twelve. When selecting a car seat for your child, you should primarily focus on the child's weight, not their age. According to the European classification, all child car seats are divided into five groups.

Group 0
Weight: up to 10 kg. In the first months of life, babies cannot yet sit up, so they need devices that allow them to lie down. Infant carriers are similar to pram carrycots that can be secured on the rear seat of a car using special fastening straps. The child is secured with a wide, soft strap, and additional head protection is provided. However, test results show that infant carriers do not provide reliable safety and are inferior to infant car seats.

Group 0+
Weight: up to 13 kg. Another option, safer for infants, is an infant car seat in which the baby can also lie down. It is secured with the standard three-point seat belt and is equipped with internal harnesses. Car seats in this group are versatile and can be used both as a carrier and as a convenient seat for the child.

Group 1
Weight: from 9 to 18 kg. These seats typically have several recline positions – the child is still young and may fall asleep during the journey, so it is desirable for them to be comfortable. The most secure device for restraining a child in a car is a five-point safety harness system.

Group 2 and 3
Weight: from 15 to 36 kg. For older children, car seats are produced that, instead of using their internal harnesses, transition to using the standard car seat belts. As the child grows, the backrest of such a car seat can be removed, leaving only the booster seat.

Group 3.
Weight: 22 to 36 kg. Booster seats are used as a safety device for older children. In this case, the child is secured with the vehicle's seat belt. The seat slightly "raises" the child, allowing them to be properly fastened. There are also universal car seats, or convertible car seats, suitable for different child groups, but crash test results show that they are less safe than seats designed for narrower weight categories.

CORRECT PLACEMENT OF THE CAR SEAT

It is not enough to buy a safe car seat; it is also very important to install it correctly in the car. Years of testing have shown that the safest place in the car is on the rear seat behind the passenger seat. The front passenger seat should be moved as far forward as possible. Until the child reaches the age of two, it is recommended to install the car seat facing backwards. It has been proven that this position is the safest for the child, as in a head-on collision, the load is distributed across the back, not the child's fragile neck. If, for any reason, you place the car seat on the front seat, you must deactivate the airbag, otherwise, it may injure the child when deployed. Additionally, the seat should be moved as far back as possible. Before installing the car seat in the car, read the instructions carefully. You can ask a sales consultant in the store to help you the first time and show you how to correctly place the seat in the car. The simpler the seat is to install, the better: an overly complex installation system often leads to incorrect fitting and can cause serious injuries.

COMFORT AND SAFETY

Journeys can be tiring, so it is important to ensure maximum comfort for your child. If you are not buying a car seat for a newborn, you can take your child with you to the shop, place them in the car seat, and check if they are comfortable. The younger the child, the more important it is for them to be able to rest, so the seat should have positions for both wakefulness and sleep. The safety belts should be wide, with soft padding. For children under three years of age, internal Y-shaped or five-point harnesses are mandatory, as only they can protect a baby. The buckle connecting the straps between the child's legs should have a wide fabric pad to avoid injury in the event of sudden braking or a possible impact.

10 KEY RULES RECOMMENDED FOR OBSERVANCE WHEN USING CHILD CAR SEATS:

1. Never use a car seat that has been in an accident. Do not buy or use a second-hand seat, as it may have invisible damage.
2. The main criterion when choosing a child car seat model is the child's weight (age is indicated approximately).
3. Before purchasing, make sure that the model you have chosen is suitable for your car.
4. Always follow the recommendations of the attached instructions when installing the seat in the car. Ensure that the seat is installed correctly. If you are in doubt, contact experienced specialists who will show you how to install the seat in the car properly. Keep the instructions attached to your seat model for future use. If any of your friends or relatives drive your child in the car, be sure to show them how to properly install the seat in the car and familiarize them with its operating rules.
5. Before each trip, be sure to check the reliability of the seat's fixation in the car. It should be installed securely and not shift while the car is moving.
6. Adjust the internal seat belts of the car seat according to your child's size. The belts should fit snugly but not restrict the child's movements. Tighten them so that two fingers can fit between the belt and the child's body.
7. Never install a child car seat on a passenger seat equipped with an airbag. If you install a child seat on a passenger seat with an airbag, be sure to disable it.
8. Never leave a child unattended in a car seat.
9. On long journeys, provide your child with toys so they don't get bored, and be sure to make stops. A bored child will distract the driver or start playing with the seat belt buckle.
10. Always use a child car seat when travelling, no matter how short your journey may be.