Child Car Seats

Car seats for infants are always rear-facing, meaning the child faces opposite to the direction of travel.

Infants must be in rear-facing seats because the head of a child under 1 year is proportionally very heavy, about 25% of their total body weight, and the neck vertebrae of children under 3 years are not fully developed, making them vulnerable. The child’s neck, head, and spine receive much better protection in a rear-facing seat because it limits the impact and movement during a collision.

If a rear-facing seat is placed in the front seat, it is essential to deactivate the airbag in front of the seat.

When the child exceeds the maximum weight of the infant car seat, it is necessary to switch to a child car seat.

Rear-facing car seats

Many child car seats are designed to be used both rear-facing or forward-facing. The child is always safer in a rear-facing seat, and it is recommended to keep the seat rear-facing for as long as possible.

A common question is whether to turn the seat forward if the child’s legs are getting too big and are bent in the seat or seem cramped. Research shows that this does not affect the child’s safety, so it is safe to keep the seat rear-facing for longer, as the head, neck, and spine are the most vulnerable parts of the child.

There are special child car seats designed to be used rear-facing until the child weighs 25 kg. These are secured with extra belts and a support leg that rests on the floor of the car.

Forward-facing car seats

It is not recommended to turn the seat forward for children weighing 9-25 kg until they are at least 1 year old.

It is also not recommended to place a forward-facing seat in the front seat of the car, even if the airbag has been deactivated. The front seat is the area of the car most likely to be involved in a collision.

A child car seat is always safer than a booster seat, so it is recommended that children use a car seat for as long as the maximum weight allows.

After that, it is recommended that a child use a booster seat with a back for as long as possible, or until the child reaches 36 kg or 10-12 years old. Only then is it safe to begin using just the seatbelt.

Booster seat with a back

It is strongly recommended to use a booster seat with a back because the backrest provides protection for the child’s head, neck, and spine. These seats also usually have guides for the seatbelt to ensure it fits properly on the child, both over the shoulder and hips.

Booster seat without a back

Traditional booster seats without a back are essentially just a seat that raises the child up. They do not guide the seatbelt away from the neck to the shoulder, and in the event of a crash, there is a risk that the booster seat may slide out from under the child. In such cases, the seatbelt may cause injuries because it does not fit correctly on the child.

Booster seats without a back often have a higher minimum weight requirement than those with a back. The taller and heavier the child, the more likely the seatbelt will fit correctly over the shoulder and hip.