How to choose a car child seat
How to ensure the safety of the child in the car? There is only one correct answer - to choose a good car seat.
But it should be understood that there are no universal models, i.e. one that is suitable for all children and can be installed in any car.
There are several criteria to consider before choosing.
Key points when choosing a car seat
- The weight. For different weights of the child, there are different groups of car seats. What suits one will not suit another;
- The car seat must meet Safety Standards;
- Comfort. The child in the car seat should be comfortable, therefore, when going to buy a seat, you should take the baby with you so that he gets used to his “house”;
- Small children very often fall asleep in the car, so you should choose the model that has backrest adjustment;
- If the child is under 3 years old, then the seat must be equipped with a five-point harness;
- The child car seat should be easy to carry;
- Installation is very important, so it is recommended to “try on” a future purchase in a car.
car seat groups
To choose a car child seat, you need to pay attention to the groups of seats that differ in weight and age of the child.
1. Group 0 and 0+. This group is intended for children up to 12 months. Maximum weight 13 kg. Some parents give valuable advice: to save money when buying a car seat, you need to choose group 0+.
Group 0 seats are suitable for children up to 7-8 kilograms, while children up to 0 kg can be transported in a 13+ seat. In addition, children under 6 months are not particularly carried by car.
2. Group 1. Designed for children aged 1 to 4 years. Weight from 10 to 17 kg. The advantage of these chairs is the five-point seat belts. The downside is that larger children feel uncomfortable, the chair is not enough for them.
3. Group 2. For children from 3 to 5 years old and weighing from 14 to 23 kg. Usually, such car seats are fastened with seat belts of the car itself.
4. Group 3. The last purchase of parents for children will be a group of car seats of the 3rd group. Age from 6 to 12 years. The weight of the child varies between 20-35 kg. If the child weighs more, you should order a special car seat from the manufacturer.
What to look for
1. frame material. In fact, two materials can be used to make the frame of child car seats - plastic and aluminum.
Many chairs that bear the ECE R 44/04 badges are made of plastic. However, the ideal option is a car seat made of aluminum.
2. Back and headrest shape. Some groups of car seats are changing dramatically: they can be adjusted, what is suitable for a 2-year-old child is also suitable for a 4-year-old ...
However, this is not so. If the safety of your baby is important to you, pay attention to the following factors:
The backrest should correspond to the spine of the child, i.e. be anatomical. In order to find out, you can simply feel it with your fingers.
The head restraint must be adjustable (the more adjustment positions the better). You should also pay attention to the side elements of the head restraint - it is desirable that they are also regulated.
If the model does not have a headrest, then the back should perform its functions, therefore, it should be higher than the head of the child.
3. Security. As already mentioned, models for young children are equipped with five-point harnesses. Before buying, you need to check their quality - the material of manufacture, the effectiveness of the locks, the softness of the belt, etc.
4. Mount. The car seat can be fastened in the car in two ways - regular belts and using a special ISOFIX system.
Before buying it must be installed in the car. Perhaps the car has an ISOFIX system, then it is better to buy the model that is attached using this system.
If you plan to fasten with standard belts, then you should check how well they fix the chair.
Here are the highlights of choosing a car seat for your child. Do not save on health, if it is absolutely necessary. Choose a chair according to age and weight, follow the advice and your baby will be safe.
