A guide to when to start using them and when to stop. A child needs to be AT LEAST 4 years old, over 15kg and able to sit upright and not move around or lean out of their seat, to safely begin using a highback booster seat, but preferably should have completely maxed out their previous seat which would have a weight limit of between 18-25kg and so they would be much more likely to be older and mature before moving and so would undertand the potential dangers of not sitting properly. A childs pelvis does not begin to fuse together into solid bone until around 4 years old and so the risk of the seatbelt riding up onto the...
Rear Facing is the safest way to travel, even for adults. Think about the next time you travel on a train, when you pull into a station what happens to your body as the train rapidly slows down if you’re standing up or sitting the direction of travel? Your body moves forward and it can be difficult to maintain your balance, you may even come out of your seat! If you’re sitting against the direction of travel then the back of your seat holds your whole body in place much more effectively! By travelling rear facing, the childs body is cradled by the seat, significantly reducing the amount of stress put on their delicate neck and spine. In the event...
A highly demanding test which highlights the improved safety of rear facing car seats Compliance All seats sold in Europe have to comply to certain standards, either R44 or R129, to be sold legally. As well as passing these standards, many manufacturers choose to independently test their seats to higher standards to ensure they are as safe as they can be, such as putting the seat through the Plus Test. History The Plus Test was founded in 2009 in Sweden as an optional test after studies were conducted on real accidents measuring the stress forces placed on childrens necks. A young childs neck is one of the most vunerable places, with their head making up 25% of their entire body...
When you’re getting ready to leave the house on a chilly winters day, the natural thing to do is to add lovely cosy layers to your baby or child; and why not? If you’re off out on a walk to the park or a bike ride then you absolutely need to make sure everyone is going to be warm enough. If you’re getting into the car, however, then you need to think again! The harness on a child seat is designed to fit snugly against the body to help spread the forces created during a collision across the strongest parts of the body, the shoulders and pelvis, to ensure maximum protection and reducing the risk of serious injury. When you...
