Guide
A child seat test winner is useless if the child is secured incorrectly
by Myrtha Brunner
Protect your child - even in the car
6.6.2019
Translation: machine translated
Every second child is incorrectly secured in the car, every 14th not at all! But no child seat in the world is good enough if you don't follow the safety rules. Here's a reminder of the most important tips for buckling up correctly.
When I hear child seat, I always have to smile. I remember what it was like when I was a child. Two adults, four children, lots of luggage and one car. Not a big family van, but a normal Passat. Child seat? Not a chance. Seat belt? Nope, why - on the contrary. We kids squeezed into the back seat and off we went. Fortunately, nothing ever happened. Nevertheless, I think it's a very good development that a child seat is now compulsory. It's hard to imagine what would have happened to my siblings and me in an accident.
However, according to TCS, every second child is still incorrectly secured in the car despite having a child seat. One in 14 children is not buckled up at all, which can have fatal consequences in an emergency. For me as a mother, this negligence is difficult to comprehend.
It's almost travel time again and many parents are going on holiday with their children. The little ones spend hours in the car and are exposed to the risk of an accident. This makes it all the more important to secure them correctly. So it's time to remind yourself of the most important safety tips and plan a safe journey in good time.
Tips for correct securing
- Check the child seat for functionality, ease of use and comfort before you buy it
- Secure your child until they are 12 years old or 150 centimetres tall (whichever comes first)
- Use a child seat even on short journeys
- Do not use an old child seat. Approved child seats have the test number ECE R44.03, R44.04 or R129. This is usually an orange label that is attached to the child seat.
- Choose the right size based on the weight and height of the child
- Always install the infant car seat rearward facing.
- Deactivate the front airbag when the infant car seat is installed on the front passenger seat.
- Only change the child seat when the child's head protrudes beyond the shell or seat.
- Babies and toddlers are best kept in a rear-facing child seat until they are at least 15 months old.
- Connect the child seat securely to the car, not just the child to the seat.
- Make sure the straps are not twisted and are level with the shoulders.
- Adjust the straps and back support regularly to the child's size.
- Take the child's jacket off before fastening the seat belt.
- Buckle the child in as soon as you put them in the seat so that you don't forget to do this in a hurry.
- Make sure the harness is tight (there should be room for a maximum of one finger, then it is tight enough).
Do you need a (new) child car seat?
Don't have a child car seat yet or do you need a new model? Then I recommend that you first find out about the latest technologies. This will make it easier for you to find the right seat. In addition to terms such as Isofix and Top Tether, the terms 'car seat harness' and 'i-Size' also crop up time and again in the search. You can find an explanation of these technologies in this buying guide: [[marketingpage:9551]]
It can't be secured incorrectly without a car
My colleague Patrick Bardelli is actually an advocate of the car-free family. He mainly travels by public transport. Properly securing children, child seats and car parking are probably foreign topics to him. He explains why he opted for the car-free option in his article: [[marketingpage:12178]]
Further safety information
TCS tested child seats again this year. Of 27 child seats, 19 models received a "highly recommended" rating and one model even received the top rating of "excellent". To the test result and further information:
TCS child seat test June 2019
Child car seats 2018 - Good child seats protect lives
Children in the car
Child safety abroad
Do you not only want to be safe with your child car seat, but also make sure you don't miss out on any useful tips, tricks and topics relating to babies and toddlers? Then follow my author profile with just one click.
I’m the cook, cleaner, police officer, nurse, entertainer, motivator, author, storyteller, coach, organiser, chauffeur, lawyer and judge. To put it simply, I’m a mum to a daughter and not just a (Content) Manager at the office but also at home.
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