Motorists who have a family and drive somewhere with small children must ensure a high level of safety. When the child is still very small, they put him in a special child seat. It reduces the risk of personal injury while driving. But what to do with relatively older children? An alternative is a booster. It gives more freedom for a child from 3 years. Young parents are interested in how to mount a booster in a car, because some will have to do it for the first time. Today we will consider this issue in detail.
What is a booster?
This design is a seat without a back. It slightly raises the baby so that it is possible to correctly and reliably fasten regular seat belts. When the child is higher in the seat, the belt will not touch his face and will not pinch his neck. Without boosters, standard belts, alas, cannot provide the proper level of safety. Modern manufacturers today offer several types of boosters. We will consider them below.
Types of Boosters
Foam products have a low price, poor quality, are not able to withstand extreme driving conditions. After the crash tests, the boosters of this plan simply cracked.
Plastic models have a more reliable design, but provided that the manufacturer used high-quality raw materials.
The most high-quality are multilayer products. They are made of metal, polyurethane and textile materials.
Advantages and disadvantages
These designs have several advantages. This is a very lightweight and very compact product. It is great for small cars. This is a good alternative to standard chairs if the child is large. The cost of the booster differs from the same standard seats.
The disadvantages of the product are also not without. The booster is not able to provide the same level of security as a chair. The cheapest and simplest models are simply placed on the seat, they do not provide any fixation. With shocks or in the event of an accident, such an adapter has all the possibilities to move around the cabin. The child is very much at risk.
The best place for a booster in the car
The car has several sections, the level of potential safety of which allows you to place a child here. These places were found, taking into account the statistics on accidents with children, the analysis also took into account injuries and their degree of complexity.
One such place is behind the driver's seat. Here the risk of damage is minimized, especially in frontal collisions. The driver will turn the steering wheel in such a way as to avoid a blow from his side.
Another place is the central part in the back seat. This factor can be explained by the fact that no matter where the driver turns the steering wheel during an accident, a blow falling in the rear of the car will have no or minimal effect on the child.
It is forbidden to carry children in the car with the booster in the front seat. If the airbags are turned off, the risk of injury in the event of an accident is very high. Even the simplest ride on flat asphalt with a child in the front seat will give him a lot of inconvenience. This is easily explained by the design features of the front seat - the developers take into account the anatomical features of adults, but not children.
Fastener booster straps
For those who do not know how to mount a booster in a car, I must say that there are only two options. The first is using standard seat belts. The main thing is that the children's product is equipped with armrests.
This booster is easy to install on the seat, and the child himself will be the fixator directly. It should be noted that such a device can be installed normally and reliably only with the help of a three-point belt. Is only a transverse belt enough to fit the structure? Experts give a negative answer.
How to mount a booster? The installation process for the baby device will only take a few seconds. First, the booster itself is installed, then the child is planted on it and pulled, as well as fixed with straps.
Mounting scheme
The lower belt tape is passed under the armrests of the booster. Using a diagonal tape, the child’s body is fixed to the wall. There are models on sale where there are additional tapes - they significantly increase the safety of children.
The disadvantages of the method with a seat belt
We examined how to fasten a booster in a car with a standard seat belt. And no matter how reliable the booster may seem, it is not able to get a rigid fix with this. Even in the case of a quiet ride, there is a risk that the seat under the child will move. This can lead to displacement of belts and compression of the neck, internal organs. If the driver brakes sharply, then safety is not guaranteed at all.
Important points
Parents with experience transporting children tell how to mount a children's booster. The height of the armrest is very important. It is necessary to achieve such a position so that the small passenger does not reach for the armrest. If the child’s body is relaxed, it will be firmly fixed in the device.
The tension of the belts is also important. How to mount a booster? The child should be fixed tightly enough, but without discomfort. The belt should be fixed only after the driver makes sure that the booster fits snugly on the surface of the seat. There should not be a slip.
Fasteners Isofix
Responsible parents want to know how to properly mount the booster using this system. In this way, installing a booster will be most correct. But it’s important to make sure that there are such mounts in the car before buying. If they are present, then the choice is made in favor of boosters with Isofix. Models will cost more, but the maximum safety and fixing the children is the most reliable. The design in this case is fixed to the car body. Provides maximum rigidity and stability, as well as good traction of the booster seat. If necessary, you can additionally fix the baby with regular belts. Children will be protected both when driving and in the event of an accident. You can put and remove the device in just a few seconds.
Conclusion
Proper booster fasteners will provide the child with maximum safety. Do not save on the type of fixation and the device as a whole. It is not recommended to purchase a used product. A child restraint is primarily about safety, but not about protection from fines. Before taking the child to the car, you should learn how to mount the booster. This is the safety of your child.