In order to ensure a child's safety in a car, not just any child restraint system (CRS) is valid. As applicable regulation sets out, the CRS must have the following characteristics: it must be approved and it must be adapted to the child's size and/or weight dependent on the regulation applicable.

What happens if we do not use an approved child car seat? The consequences could be devastating, ranging from causing serious injury and even to the death of the child.

CURRENT STANDARDS

There are currently two applicable standards for approving child car seats: the R44/04 and the the R129. Both have been drafted by the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations, established in 1947 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.

On the one hand, we have R44/04. Child car seats should be able to withstand a frontal collision at 50 km/h, a rear impact test at 30 km/h, tests of the closing buckle of the harness, an analysis of the seat design, a study of the belt or harness, etc.

On the other we have the R129 an improvement on the former law. A side impact test is included and an i-size seat is guaranteed to be able to be fitted in any seat of the vehicle which is also 'i-size'.

The use of rear-facing child car seats is encouraged for a longer period of time, with a minimum of 15 months, in order to guarantee better head and neck safety. Moreover, with Isofix anchorages there is less risk of setting it up incorrectly.

We can be sure that a child restraint system is approved under one or other standard by checking the labeling sticker on the CRS: R129 label and R44/04 label.

Weight:

When you go to choose a child seat that is differentiated by groups, you should let yourself be guided by the child's weight. It is important that it adapts correctly to the child's weight as this will provide the greatest safety.

If the child weighs more than the limit for the seat (i.e. 36kg), it may not provide enough protection in an accident. 

Age:

You should wait as long as possible before using a forward facing child restraining system. The new European i-Size regulations stipulate that up to at least 15 months, a baby or child should travel backward facing although it is better up to two years and even better up to 4 years of age.

Height:

Their height is important since the seat must be suitable for the child's height. The child's head must never be above the seat back or the headrest of the seat because the child would not then be adequately protected and could suffer injury to the neck during an accident.

When choosing a child restraint system that has been certified by the i-Size standard, you should use the child's height as a guideline.

Bear in mind that height is the determining factor for choosing the best CRS in this case. How long must you use a child car seat for? The child's height will determine when they can stop using a child car seat and use the normal adult seat with a seatbelt.

If the child is equal to or taller than 135 cm, he or she can use the car's seat belt, even in the front passenger seat, provided that it is adjusted correctly.

The middle of the back seat, as long as there is a full "seat" and 3-point seat belt or Isofix anchorage points, since it is further away from any impact zone but only if the seat can be correctly installed in that position.

Facing backwards is the safest position, because the back takes the full force. When facing forward, the impact is absorbed by the few small areas of the body which are it in contact with the seatbelt or harness.

For babies and small children the neck is one of the most fragile parts of the body (which is why we have to support a baby's head when holding it in our arms), this makes travelling backward facing, if the seat allows, much safer when braking or in an accident.

A sensible tip: check the instruction manual for the child seat or ask the manufacturer if in any doubt about how you should install a seat with regard to the size of the child.

• Backward facing seats are much safer than those facing forwards.
• Children should travel facing backwards whenever possible. This avoids certain injuries that can only be sustained when travelling forwards that cannot occur when facing backwards.
• As a baby grows and their baby seat becomes too small it must be changed for a larger one that still allows the child to continue using a seat that faces backwards.

A rear-facing child restraint system is also safe in the event of a rear impact.

On the one hand, we should take into account that child car seats with the ECE R44/04 or R-129 approval have passed a rear-impact crash test. In the case of R-129 they have also passed a side impact crash test. Both approval standards are currently in force. Therefore, all child car seats that are currently approved have passed this minimum safety requirement.

We know that rear-facing child car seats are very safe in terms of head-on collisions. However, they are also safe for all other impacts. It is important to know the difference between a head-on collision and a rear impact.

In the case of rear impacts, both vehicles are traveling in the same direction, which is not the case in a head-on collision. In this first case, the vehicle that has been crashed into continues to travel forward while simultaneously reducing the impact forces acting on it. These kinds of collisions are not as high impact.

Furthermore, in many instances, the vehicle might be stationary. What counts in this situation is the vehicle's resistance and how much it is damaged. The car would also be shunted forward, meaning that the force will travel in the same direction as the car's acceleration.

In a rear-facing CRS, the head, the most vulnerable part of the body, is positioned in the centre of the vehicle, at a considerable distance from the point of impact. At the time of impact, the head (with its normal weight) tends to move but the forces are offset by the slight forward motion of the car. Therefore, the child's head moves less than in head-on collisions if the child is seated in the direction of travel.

It should not be forgotten that, in many cases a side impact is often accompanied by a subsequent head-on collision with another vehicle, barrier or tree. In both cases, the child would be better protected by a rear-facing CRS. 

No, so don't worry.

Taking into account that in reality, as a result of various studies, laboratory tests and crash tests, it has been demonstrated that travelling in a backward facing direction is much safer for children, particularly small babies.

This is why the new i-Size regulations for child restraining systems make it obligatory for at least the first 15 months.

When repeatedly or suddenly braking hard, the head, the neck and the back are completely supported by the seat back, reducing the strain on them and so reducing the danger of injury (for example to the neck or the spine).

When children are small they don't normally have a problem with space. As they grow, they can still travel backward facing with their legs bent. They won't be uncomfortable. If you think about it, children spend hours every day playing either crouched down or with their legs crossed. It is not a problem.

The main aim of the ISOFIX system is to avoid errors in installing child restraint systems, which often occurs when they are installed with seat belts and the manufacturers' instructions are not followed. These are the characteristics of this system:

• There are two anchors points attached to the vehicle between the seat and the backrest. These anchors engage with the child car seat by means of rigid bars which are pushed against the anchor points and locked with a simple click.
• In addition there is a top anchor (Top Tether)or a bottom anchor (Support Leg) to avoid the seat turning or tipping over.

The ISOFIX system is usually used with the smallest child seats, namely those that form part of Groups 0, 0+ and I. For larger seats, we usually see a combination of this system and the seat belt.

Child seats in groups 0+ and I with the ISOFIX system are divided into Universal and Semi-universal, depending on where the third anchorage point is located. It it is located at the top, the Top Tether, it is a Universal seat, and if the anchorage point extends from the vehicle floor to the base of the seat, it is considered a Semi-universal seat. A Universal seat means that the seat can be used in any car that has the third top anchorage point while a semi-universal seat can be used in a number of vehicles, but not all of them. In this last case, the child restraint system manual includes a list of vehicles in which the seat car seat can be used with the ISOFIX system.

It is an anchoring system, which compliments the Isofix system. The two hooks of the isofix system in the base of the seat are fixed to the car seat but this doesn't stop the seat being able to tip up when braking hard or when slowing down quickly.

For this reason it should be equipped with a third anchoring point. Forward facing seats usually use a Top Tether. This is a strap or a belt similar to a seatbelt with a snap-hook to fix it to the anchor in the rear of the car seat. It should be properly fixed and tightened.

Depending on the car, this anchor, which is in essence a ring, is normally situated in the back of the rear car seat, although sometimes it can be found in the tray which covers the luggage compartment, in the ceiling or on the floor of the trunk.

In principal, it is neither better nor worse. It is simply that they use two different systems to anchor the seat to the vehicle. As long as a seat is properly installed it will be safe due to its design, construction and manufacture.

The normal system is where the seat is secured using the vehicle's seatbelt that fits into slots and is fastened using the buckle.

The Isofix system is newer and uses anchors integrated in the lower part of the car seat back. Not all cars have these, although they are becoming much more common in new cars.

The advantage of the isofix system is that it is much more difficult to install the child seat incorrectly, which was a common problem and one that negates the safety aspect that the restraining system is designed to provide.

Whichever seat you have, it is important that you carefully read the installation instructions, and are quite sure about how to install and secure it so that it is perfectly anchored. The seat often has an extra fixing point (Top-Tether) or an extra support (Support Leg) that stops it from tipping over when braking hard.

No, child restraint system systems with ISOFIX can only be installed in cars that have anchorages. For this reason, first we should check in the vehicle's manual that the vehicle has anchorages or checking directly if it has them on the rear seats. It is usually indicated by the logo or with the name ISOFIX.

There are currently child car seats on the market that allow for both options and can be installed with ISOFIX or with the seat belt.  However, it is the child seat manufacturer themselves who should determine whether or not the CRS allows for this option in their manual.

We do not recommend using devices which have not been approved and recommended by the manufacturer.

A child restraint system works exactly as it is designed to work by the manufacturer and has been approved according to a series of specific characteristics. Any adjustments to the seat may stop it from working properly. Moreover, it is important to differentiate between securing and protecting the child. It is not safe for the head to be fully upright and held in place, since this prevents the natural forward motion of the child's neck and head in the event of a sudden braking or crash. In addition, there is always the possibility that this device could cut into the child's neck and cause serious injuries, or could even fatally wound the child.

Therefore, in order to prevent injury to the head and neck, it is vital that we place the car seat correctly and secure the child properly. The headrest should be positioned at a suitable height and the child restraint system should be reclined as advised by the manufacturer.

The backrest should be at an angle of between 30 and 45º to the vertical. The child car seat should not be too vertical or too reclined. In fact, new born babies or babies usually travel lying flat, and as they grow they can be seated in an increasingly upright position. It is important to consult the child seat's instruction manual in order to travel with the seat correctly reclined.

In order to install a child restraint system properly you must always follow the manufacturer's instructions. We remind you that the child's safety depends on the seat being correctly installed and secured.

Child car seats secured with a seat belt should ensure that the belt goes through each and every one of the points and slots indicated in the installation manual.The seat belt should be taut and not be twisted.

However, if the CRS is installed with the ISOFIX system, there is less risk of installing it incorrectly. Despite this, you should always follow the manufacturer's instructions. You should pay special attention to the installation of the ISOFIX base, the support leg or the top tether, as applicable. In the vast majority of cases you will know that you have correctly installed the CRS because they usually have indicator lights that turn green when the CRS is properly anchored.

We know that it is extremely important to travel in an approved child restraint system suitable for the child's size and weight. However, in many cases, making sure that children are also properly buckled up in their seats is not taken into consideration. It is not enough to merely anchor the seat with ISOFIX anchors or to put their seat belt on. It is important for the child to be well secured.

Particularly during winter, if the child is wearing bulky clothing, or on short trips, we might be tempted to simply place the child in the child seat without properly buckling them up. By failing to secure them properly in the seat we are making a very serious mistake since the child could fly out of the seat if there is any sharp braking or a road traffic accident.

The harness or belt hold the child in place in the child car seat when necessary.

The lateral airbags don't present any danger to a child so long as they are correctly seated in a CRS.

Since the lateral airbags are designed to protect an adult, the protection offered to a child may be less. For example in the case of curtain airbags, these can be too high for children making it possible for a child's head to bang against the car door in a side impact. On the other hand the other main type of lateral airbag employed to protect the chest of an adult passenger can be too hard for the fragile chest of a child.

They are very dangerous.

In an accident, the weight of the occupant or any object in the interior of the vehicle is multiplied by 20, sometimes even by 40. A baby that weighs 10 kilograms can assume a weight of between 200 to 300 kilograms: a simple show of affection such as carrying a baby in your arms can become a fatal act, as it would be impossible to hold the baby during an accident. 
In a similar way, a toy that weighs only one kilogram can be thrown at a child with a force equivalent to 20 or 40 kilograms, causing very serious injury.

Remember: a child should never carry toys that are heavy or rigid, inside a car, only light soft toys. 
Luggage should be stowed so that it is impossible for it to be thrown into the interior of the car. In vehicles that didn't have adequate separation between the trunk and the cabin of the vehicle there have been cases of pushchairs having been thrown forward into the car, causing serious head injuries to children that were correctly restrained in their child seats at the time.

Usually you can, but always read the manufacturers instructions for your particular seat. Look for the label sewn into the inside of the seat cover, similar to that you find on clothes, which will display symbols as to how it can be washed.

Most seats have covers which can be removed and then washed in cold water with a mild detergent (so it doesn't lose colour). Check the instruction book to find out how to take it off; it will be fastened with elastic, Velcro, press-studs or something similar.

Just like any other undesirable behavior, the solution is education. You need patience and you have to be firm (which is not the same as getting annoyed), when explaining to a child that they must wear their harness if they want to be safe in the car. Explain in a clear concise manner why they must be properly restrained to help the child understand why they must use it.

You can bolster this habit by demonstrating that you also put on a seatbelt and lock it, or by showing them that the other children in the car wear their harness and don't try to unlock it (remember that children imitate what they see).

With a little perseverance a child will get used to it. You must try to be consistent, as must all the members of the family. As soon as you get into the car, the harness must be fastened, if it becomes sometimes yes and sometimes no, (or say whenever they are with you they use it but when with their grandparents they don't), a child will not be able to understand which will make it difficult for them to develop the habit of always wearing it properly fastened.

A child car seat that was in a car when it was involved in an accident should be replaced, even if there is no visible damage. It may have been weakened to such an extent that it will not provide the same level of protection in another accident.

There is a trend for using booster seats with backrests.

We should take into account that a booster seat with a backrest reduces the risk of damage to the head in the event of a side impact by six times, in comparison with a booster without a backrest. It offers greater side protection, as during an impact the child is kept in the seat at all times, thus avoiding the child's direct impact against the side of the vehicle.

We should also take into account that the routing for the seat belt is in the correct position therefore we are less likely to make a mistake

The most important thing for child safety is to ensure that children use a child seat up until an adult seatbelt can be properly adjusted. A wrongly adjusted adult seatbelt can cause serious injury to a child even at moderate speeds.

The correct adjustment of the seatbelt can be achieved when the shoulder strap passes between the collarbone and the breastbone and the lower strap supports the hipbones.

If the seatbelt passes over the neck or very close to it, or across the stomach rather than the hipbones, it is incorrectly adjusted and can be very dangerous.

The child's head should be protected by the vehicle's headrest: If the headrest is too high or the seat doesn't have one, it would be better to use a booster seat equipped with one.

Another important point is that if while sitting directly on the seat of the car the back of a child's knees do not reach the edge of the seat then the knees cannot bend comfortably. When the knees are not bent the child tends to slide down the seat and could slip out from under the seatbelt or harness, something known as submarining, as shown in the following illustration: if this happens it is quite clear that the child needs to use a booster seat.

Your child can use an adult seatbelt only if they can fulfil ALL of the following conditions: 

• The child's back is fully supported against the vehicle seat back.
• With the back fully supported against the seat back, the legs comfortably bend and the calves supported by the edge of the seat.
• The child is able to maintain this position during the whole journey without slipping or sliding downwards.
• The shoulder strap of the seatbelt (upper strap) crosses over the breastbone between the shoulder and the neck but never too close to the neck.
• The lap belt (or lower strap) is under the abdomen and supported by the upper bones of the hips.
• The car seat is equipped with a headrest to protect the neck in case of rear-end collision.