Choosing a car seat is one of the most important product decisions you’ll ever have to make for your child. In the UK, there are strict regulations on car seat fitting and installation, so to help you get it right, child safety experts at Britax, have compiled a list of things to look out for when buying a new car seat.
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Is your car seat the right fit for your child and your car?
Car seats are grouped by the child’s weight. Age is an indicator, but for maximum safety you need to know how much your child weighs to choose the right seat.
You also need to ensure that the seat you have chosen is approved for your vehicle. Take your car with you when buying a seat and ask a trained staff member to demonstrate the fitting procedure.
To ensure parents choose the right seat for their child, Britax has created an online ‘Fit Finder’, which has approved vehicle lists, step-by-step user guides and installation videos to help you make the correct choice for you and your child.
Check whether your car has ISOFIX
Britax developed ISOFIX back in 1997 in conjunction with VW. It is now an international installation standard for child seats in vehicles. Because ISOFIX connects child seats rigidly to the vehicle chassis rather than just using adult seat belts, it reduces installation errors and increases child safety enormously. Only 30 per cent of child car seats are installed correctly when using an adult seat belt compared to 96 per cent when using the ISOFIX system.
Look for the grey, white and green ISOFIX symbol - it will tell you where the ISOFIX anchorage points are in your car. ISOFIX anchorage points are the most secure way to install a car seat. However, if your car does not have ISOFIX, there are some great belted seat alternatives, which use your car’s seat belt to their best possible effects.
What are the key safety features to look out for?
Every family and child has different needs when it comes to car seats. But the features to look out for to ensure the utmost safety include:
- Five-point safety harness
When buying a seat for a child aged from birth to four years check if there is a five-point safety harness. This system fully restrains your child over the pelvic and shoulder areas keeping them firmly secured in every direction. In the event of a crash, the harness evenly distributes the impact forces over the five points of contact minimising injury.
- Easy headrest and harness adjustment
Enables you to alter the headrest and harness height with an easy single-handed adjustment without having to remove the shoulder straps this preventing re-thread errors.
- Deeply padded side wings
Does the seat offer side impact protection for full head containment and body protection? 1 in 4 accidents is a side collision*1. Furthermore, side collisions account for 20% of child car seat crash fatalities*2. It is important to note that side impact collisions are yet to be recognized by EU regulations as a standard safety measure for car seats, so if the seat has the ECE R44/04 certification it does not necessarily mean the seat offers side impact protection in the event of a crash.
What other features should I consider?
- Look for quick remove covers that are machine washable. Ideally look for a cover you put on and take off without re-fitting the harness to eliminate re-threading errors and save you valuable time.
- Look for multi-recline positions that allow you to adjust the seat without disturbing your child.
- Look for comfort for your child with energy absorbing shoulder pads, pelvis pads and great fabrics.
What does the law say?
Child seats are compulsory for children up to 1.35m(UK) or 1.5m(Ireland) tall – depending on where you are travelling in the EU. Child restraint systems with the ECE R44/04 certification comply with this law. Note: Side impact collisions are yet to be recognised by EU regulations as a standard safety measure for car seats.
For more information, visit www.britax.co.uk
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