The most famous and prestigious is the German ADAC test, which indicates the behavior of car seats during an impact, as well as the stability of the closure, ease of assembly, space for the child, weight and even the absence of harmful substances in the materials used. ADAC tests are considered the strictest, so their result is considered the most important information about the quality and safety of a car seat. The tested car seats receive points: the score 1.0-1.5 is the highest and 4.6-5.5 – the lowest. We can boast that our car seat ONETO3 was on the podium of the spring 2020 ranking, created by this institution in the category of children`s products from 75-150 cm in height! In fact, the number 1 rule you need to know about the car seat is that you should choose your child`s car seat not based on their age, but based on their weight and/or height! Weight and height can vary greatly between two children of the same age. Age is therefore not a criterion to be taken into account. Two standards complement each other on this subject: the oldest, standard R44/04, stipulates that car seats must be distributed according to the weight of the child. On the other hand, the R129 standard (also called i-Size), more recent, takes into account the size of the child. These two standards do not replace each other, but complement each other. It`s up to you to check which standard your car seat is based on: your child`s height or weight. It may also be that our car does not have ISOFIX fasteners, that the stabilizer foot of the seat of your dreams is not compatible with the car, that there is nothing to fasten the TOP TETHER belt, and that your baby will not tolerate driving with the RWF option. Sounds incomprehensible? We quickly explain the jargon! In Spain, children are required by law to be transported in car seats adapted to their height, up to the age of 12 and up to a height of 135 cm. According to Pauline Arnou, it is important for parents to explain to their child the vital need for the car seat: „It`s a simple message to convey to them: the cars we drive in are made for adults the size of mom and dad and not for children like you, so we must add protection. ” If the child feels comfortable in his seat and does not complain, it is recommended to prolong its use.
For example, some countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland or Ireland make the car seat up to 1 meter 50 mandatory. „We are at the bottom of the ladder,” she says, „so if we can extend, we will extend!” If you transport children in your car, you must ensure their safety by respecting the Highway Traffic Act. You will surely tell me: I have seen with my own eyes car seats with other weight categories! That`s right, there are even some who can accompany the child on his first trip until reaching 150 cm! They combine different weight categories and allow you to change car seats less frequently. It is certainly a more economical solution and this type of seat adapts well to the silhouettes of growing children thanks to the appropriate adaptations. Don`t keep big coats. This thickness will give game. Even if you don`t notice it, the material will thicken during braking or impact, allowing forward movement that should be avoided at all costs! (This recommendation is just as important, if not more so, with a seat attached. See the article on the blog: „Car seats in winter, how to protect them safely from the cold?”, which also offers solutions for winter) Leaving the hospital with your newborn? Are you carrying a small child? Your child must sit in an appropriate car seat. That is the law.
In 2018, the Baby· Confort and the association Prévention® Routière conducted an experiment by stopping family cars on motorways and playground car parks. The result of their study gives goosebumps: out of 300 children analyzed, 25% of 5-year-olds were not installed in car seats. „And the older you get, the higher the proportion of children without seats,” explains Pauline Arnou, marketing manager at bébé·confort® and safety specialist. This is why it is very important to get this message across: the car seat is not an accessory, it is a real protection tool for the child and it is mandatory! The ÖAMTC is an Austrian motorcycle, motorcycle and touring club, which is the local counterpart of the German institution ADAC. It also checks the safety of car seats, as well as their ease of use, ergonomics or the presence of harmful substances. The rules of the road are clear: children must be transported in an adapted car seat. In addition, the child seat must be properly secured. This means that it cannot be loosened or loosened incorrectly.
It must necessarily be well pressed on the back seat so that it does not swing sideways with the child. A well-secured car seat is stable and rigid. The above aspects are extremely important – if we do not take them into account, we will not be satisfied with our choice. But there is something much more important: security. Not all car seats give us the same guarantee of protecting the baby in the event of an accident. There are many institutions that subject car seats to special crash tests. Thanks to their results, we know how they behave at the time of a collision. Test organizations shall not inform manufacturers that their product has been qualified for testing.
Manufacturers also cannot require their products to be tested. The aim is to ensure the independence and greater credibility of these prestigious institutions. It is worth noting that car seat tests are carried out only once in cooperation with several institutions. Only after that each of the organizers publishes them in his own way and gives his own assessment.
