Benefits of using a car seat

Why should a child be placed in a car seat?

Mothers ask this question often, especially since most of us were not placed in car seats when we were kids. However, numerous studies in the past thirty years have shown that placing infants and even older children in a car seat protects them from 70% death and injury during car crashes. Many facts and figures confirm the importance of a car seat in protecting children on the road, which makes it one of the most crucial baby essentials.

Benefits of using a car seat

Many studies conducted around the world have proven the importance of the car seat in protecting children through a decline in the number of child deaths due to traffic accidents in countries where child sitting in a car seat is mandated by law. Parents should place their children in car seats appropriate for their age to avoid paying fines.

Infant car seats reduce the risk of children dying from traffic accidents by 71% among infants and by 54% among older kids. It also reduces the risk of hospitalization by 69%.

Car seat safety standards 

Safety standards vary from country to country and are constantly being modified. However, some basic standards are common to most countries, the most prominent of which are:

• Placing the infant from birth until the age of two years in the car seat in the rear position (so that the child is facing the back of the car, opposite the driver's position).
• The child from the age of two years until the age of eight years must be seated in the forward position (so that the child is facing the front of the car like the driver), with the child adequately stabilized, using a seat belt
• Car seats must be replaced immediately in case of any accident or damage to the car seat.
•  Choose a car seat that is appropriate for the size and age of the child and designed according to the latest international safety standards, with comfortable upholstery and a sturdy structure that protects the child from accidents.
• Installing the car seat and attaching it to the car correctly to ensure the child's protection and comfort.

Types of car seats

1| Infant car seat

These seats are designed for children from birth to two years of age and to be placed in the rear position. These seats have a base attached to the car, making it easy to remove the child from the vehicle while he is in the seat without waking him up, as most babies and toddlers sleep when they are in the car.

2| Adjustable car seat

It is a car seat that can be placed in the car in both the rear and forward positions. These seats are suitable for children from birth and up to two years of age.

3| Booster seat

It is a car seat in which the child sits after he exceeds the permissible weight to remain in the car seat in the forward position. There are two booster seats, one of which is backless, lighter, and cheaper. It can be moved from one car to another easily. The other type has a back, and its weight and price are higher.

Car Seats Categories

Car seats are classified into different categories according to the age and weight of the child and their position in the car, which are:

• Group 0 car seats: These are car seats for children from birth until 6 or 9 months or weighing 10 kilograms.
• Group 0+ car seats: intended for children from birth until 12 or 15 months or up to a weight of 13 kilograms.
• Group 1 car seats: These are for children from 9 months to 4 years or 9 to 18 kilograms.
• Group 2 car seats: These are suitable for children ages four to six or weighing 15 to 25 kilograms.
• Group 3 child car seats: seats that fit children from six to eleven years old or weigh 22 to 36 kilograms.

What do the terms I-size and Isofix mean?

I-size is a modern European quality standard that classifies child car seats based on the child's length to which the seat will fit. It is worth noting that this type of car seat can only be used with the Isofix system, an innovative fixing system that ensures the seat is fixed at specific points in the seat and in the car. Safety reports indicate that attaching the car seat to the ISOFIX anchor points will ensure the seat moves much less than attaching it to the seat belt alone. Tests also found that the ISOFIX car seat does not move sideways, which protects the child during an accident.

Mistakes to avoid when choosing a car seat

1| Buying a used car seat

It is one of the most dangerous mistakes you can make while choosing a car seat for your child. Used car seats pose a significant risk if they have been involved in an accident that affected their stability or expired.

2| Choosing a child car seat larger than the child's size

Before purchasing a car seat, it is essential to carefully review the weight instructions and choose the seat most appropriate for your child's weight. If you select an adjustable child car seat, ensure the internal straps can be adjusted to suit your child's changing size. Placing a child in a car seat larger than his size, with wide straps, poses a significant danger to your child.

3| Buying a car seat that is not compatible with the car

It is essential to ensure that your vehicle provides anchor points for the car seat so that the seat can be securely fixed so that it does not move from its place during movement. If your car is not equipped with particular harness points for a car seat, do not worry. You can choose a child car seat that can be fixed through the seat belts in the car.

4| Not installing the car seat correctly

It is essential to strictly adhere to the car seat installation instruction manual and install it firmly inside the car and in the correct place. To ensure that the seat is installed correctly and can be moved, It is essential that during this test, the seat does not move from its place for more than two centimeters in all directions.

Do car seats expire?

Don't be surprised, but car seats, like food and drink, have an expiration date. Manufacturers set a shelf life for these seats to ensure the validity of the materials from which these seats are made. These materials are exposed to cold, heat, and extreme pressure due to the car moving at different speeds over months and years. Most well-known car seat manufacturers clearly state the car seat's expiration date so mothers know when to dispose of the car seat.

However, if there is no clear expiration date on the car seat, experts advise getting rid of it after six years from its manufacture date.

The best place to put a child's car seat

International laws emphasize the necessity of children up to 13 years of age sitting in the car's back seats to ensure their safety. Therefore, it is essential not to place your child in the front seat, even if he is well-secured in the designated car seat. When placing the car seat in the back seat, Experts advise putting it in the middle if possible and if all the necessary fixing points are available in this place. However, if the middle rear seat does not contain the anchor points or seat belt required to attach the seat to the car securely, You must choose any other seat that meets these conditions.