HOW TO CHOOSE THE CHILDREN'S CAR SEAT

The children's car seat protects the child at any road accidents and holds him in the situation of stability at sharp turns and accelerations. Besides a car seat — one of the most favourite places for a dream of the kid therefore it has to be not only safe, but also convenient.

Criteria of the choice

The main reference points at the choice of a children's car seat — the weight and growth of the child, but not his age. So, there are no car seats for three-year-old children — there are car seats for children weighing from 15 kg, both the two-year-old, and four-year-old child can weigh so much.

The car seat has to conform to standards of safety ECE R44/04 and R129 (I-Size). To be convinced of it, it is necessary to find marking on the case of a car seat is a rectangular sticker of orange color with the indication of the version of the standard, age group and capital letter "Е" in a circle.

At the choice it is also desirable to take an interest in results of independent crash tests if the model chosen by you took part in them. Crash tests give an idea about volume as far as this or that car seat is capable to carry out the main objective — to protect the child at road accident.

For babies

According to the new standard of safety R129 (I-Size), kids up to 15 months it is recommended to transport in a car seat a back forward in situation reclining in cradles carryings of groups 0 and 0 + or stationary chairs of group 0+/1. Cradles of group 0 allow to carry babies horizontally, but are quite inconvenient in real life — they are heavy, bulky and at quite high price are calculated at most on half a year of use. Group 0+ chairs with a full-fledged head restraint and a good tab for babies allow to transport them almost horizontally.

The majority of cradles have the roundish base that allows to use them as a mini-rocking chair. At separate models the handle can fall and serves as the thrust block protecting from rocking. Some cradles carryings can be established on ISOFIX base which is acquired separately. The ISOFIX system represents two brackets in the car seat base which are fixed in the special buckles located between a seat and a back of an automobile chair. Fastening reliably fixes a cradle and excludes a possibility of its misadjustment. Separate models of autocradles can be installed on the chassis from a carriage, there are also versions which fasten to them by means of adapters.

When the kid grows up to 10 — 12 months, the cradle carrying needs to be replaced with a chair of the following group. How to understand that the child already grew up from it? If the top supports the upper edge of a chair, then it is time to change its. There are models which allow to carry a back children weighing up to 18 kg and growth to 105 cm forward. Some autocradles are equipped with the rotary gear which allows to develop a chair, without unfastening it from the car. It is a little such models, they are quite expensive, but are very convenient: at boarding-alighting the chair can be turned towards a door that it was possible to seat conveniently the child in a chair and to button belts.

Of a year

9 months are more senior than children and weighing more than 9 kg it is possible to replace in car seats of group 1 or combined 1-2-3. Car seats of group 1 are more comfortable, than groups 1-2-3 at which the inclination for a dream is, as a rule, absent or is very insignificant. But from the economic point of view the second decision more favorable. It is quite good option and for short-term trips.

Preference should be given to models with a full-fledged head restraint and multistage (five and more provisions) resetting of internal belts on height. In spite of the fact that all car seats of group 1 are formally calculated on growth to 100 — 105 cm and the weight of 15 — 18 kg, they can differ in the sizes considerably. If your child is larger than peers, it needs to be taken into account at the choice.

Humeral mouldings of internal belts shouldn't be rigid in a neck. Also will be not superfluous to check, the chair how reliably is fixed in the car if it is established by means of a regular belt. If internal belts go to a chair back below the child's shoulder, and he weighs more than 15 kg, means it is possible to change in the following group. Children weighing more than 18 kg can't be fastened internal belts — they aren't calculated on such loading.

A few years ago there were models which have no traditional five-dot belts. Instead of them the child in a car seat is held by a little table which in turn fastens to regular belts of the car. By results of crash tests such decision well proves to be from the point of view of safety, but requires the weighed solution at the choice. The little table can be pleasant not to all children, and not in all cars there is enough length of a regular belt.

Of three-four years

Children weighing from 15 kg and growth from 100 cm are transported in car seats of group 2-3 and fastened a regular automobile belt. For the correct arrangement of a diagonal strap of a belt these car seats have a guide under a head restraint. The head restraint is regulated on height in process of growth of the child. A small amount of models except resetting of a head restraint on height has an additional resetting on width in shoulders.

Preference should be given to chairs with the developed side protection and the additional power absorbing elements around shoulders. Fastening of ISOFIX is extremely desirable, it will allow to establish a chair with an inclination for a dream. It should be noted that an inclination at chairs of this group, with rare exception, quite insignificant. According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, children are transported in a car seat up to 12 years. However all car seats are calculated on growth to 135 — 150 cm. If the child is less than 12 years old, but he isn't located in a car seat any more, it is recommended to buy the booster. It is possible to use him weighing from 22 kg and growth from 120 cm. Some producers offer models at which a back it is possible to unfasten and use the lower part as the booster.

What to pay attention to

Surely study the instruction and learn to use a car seat correctly. Even the most expensive and safe car seat won't help if it is incorrectly established and the child in it is incorrectly fastened. The ISOFIX system is an easy and bystry way of fastening of a chair in the car, and installation by means of a regular seat belt requires special attention. If to the child about one or two years, and he never went earlier in a car seat, give it time to get used to it, having just put a chair in the apartment.

The chair can be equipped with additional accessories, for example, a summer boot. Protective capes will protect a back of a front seat from dirty footwear, and laying under a car seat will prevent from formation of attritions on chair skin. Also blinds from the sun, coasters, additional mouldings on belts and the supporting pillows can be useful for a dream.