The need to use a car seat to transport their offspring in the car by many parents has not been called into question for a long time. The logical question that arises when buying a car seat for children is: "How to choose the safest and best quality? What should I look for when buying a car seat for children? How to choose a car seat that will suit your child?" You should pay attention to several key points:
- First of all, the car seat should be “in size” to your child. Each model is designed for children of a certain height, weight and age. Pay attention to these characteristics, as they are developed on the basis of lengthy research and various crash tests. For example, a child under one year old should have its back in the direction of movement of the machine. In that
children’s neck is still very weak and their head is heavy, so placing them in a car is considered the safest. - When buying a car seat, pay attention to the presence of ECE R44 / 04 markings on it. It indicates that this model complies with the European quality standard and has passed all the necessary tests.
- After you decide on the model of a car seat, it will not be superfluous to see the crash tests conducted with it. This information can be easily found on the Internet. When buying a car seat for children, a sales assistant in a store can tell you how to choose the right one.
Despite the obvious need to install car seats in their car, many parents are delaying the purchase of this accessory. And one of the reasons is the price of car seats for children. How to choose it without significant losses for the wallet? Car seats are classified into 5 groups, depending on the age and weight of the child:
Group designation | height | Weight | age |
0 (infant carrier) | 70 cm | 9 kg | 0 to 9 months |
0+ | 75 cm | 13 kg | Up to 15 months |
1 | 98 cm | 18 kg | Up to 4 years |
2 | 120 cm | 25 kg | 3-6 years old |
3 | 135 cm | 22-36 kg | 5-12 years old |
Thus, starting from discharge from the hospital until the age of 12, you will need to purchase 5 different car seats. To attract buyers, manufacturers offer combined models: 1-2 or 1-2-3 (transformers). The latter are quite popular, as they are designed for children weighing 13 and more than 22 kg. It should be noted that all the same, the best car seats for children are those that are designed for a small range of height and weight of the baby. They are able to provide decent support for the neck and head of the child and help to avoid serious consequences in the event of a collision.
While older babies are increasingly transported in a car seat, caring parents still often hold babies when traveling by car. Many are sure that in case of an accident they will be able to keep the child. However, during the research it was found that this is impossible, even if the car moves at a speed of 20 km / h. For newborn babies, you can use the cradle of the stroller if it has the ability to be secured with regular belts, and the child is fixed with internal belts. If there is no such function, it is better to purchase an infant carrier.
Car seats for children from 0 will last you up to 9 months, they are not heavy and it is easy to carry a child in them. In such car seats, the child’s head is very well protected, and inside it is fixed with a wide, comfortable belt. Some models can also be used as a highchair.