Tool Reviews

Traveling by car with children is a tiring and dangerous task. In addition to the driver’s close attention to the road, it is required to monitor the condition and well-being of the little traveler. The baby car seat is designed to solve these problems, allowing you to travel in a car with comfort for parents and baby.

Since in children under one year old the spinal region is not strong enough and vulnerable, sharp shocks during an emergency stop of the car can lead to severe damage to the spine and the articular-ligamentous apparatus.

Choosing the most suitable carrier will allow the baby to move with their parents with maximum protection, without restrictions on the number of trips and distances. According to pediatricians, a properly selected car seat-carrier will not cause any harm to the baby and is a must in every family with small children.

Application

Car seat-carrier belongs to the age group “0+”, for children from birth to one year. Equipped with a reversible handle for carrying the baby from the car and into the car. Designed for transportation in a car of children weighing up to 12 kg from birth to 1 year.

Use:

• to ensure the necessary level of protection when transporting a baby in the cabin of a vehicle,
• to reduce the risk of injury in an accident.

Unlike other types of car seats, carriers are installed facing the direction of the car in order to avoid the baby’s head being thrown forward during sudden braking. The reason lies in the high risk of damage to the underdeveloped cervical region during a frontal impact in an accident.

The place of installation of the car seat-carrying is the front passenger or rear seat in the car. Adjusting the position allows you to transport a small traveler in an anatomically comfortable half-sitting position, with the backrest tilted at an angle of 30-45 degrees.

In addition to fulfilling the main goal of protecting the child’s body in an accident, car seat-carriers use:

• for comfortable movement of the baby outside the vehicle,
• for feeding children (as high chairs)
• as a comfortable rocking chair.
• like a cradle for a baby.

Device

A distinctive feature of the car seat-carrying design is the presence of a handle that allows you to carry children into or out of the passenger compartment of the car without the need for shifting.

Main structural elements:

• Base. Car seat models have a slightly rounded base shape. On the bottom there are grooves for adjusting the tension of the belts. Lateral stiffening ribs give greater reliability. A special anti-traumatic pad protects the groin area from damage.
• Back. In car seats of the “0+” age category, the backrest inclination is regulated by a special mechanism, and its shape anatomically repeats the bend of the spinal column. In chairs with an anatomical back, the little traveler will not get tired on the road when traveling long distances.
• Sunshield. Provides protection from the sun’s rays, allowing the baby to sleep peacefully while driving and when carrying.
• Carry handle. Allows you to use the car seat outside the car for comfortable movement of the baby.
• Internal headrest. For safety reasons, the design of the carrying has a developed headrest that fixes the position of the head.
• Seat belts. Narrow, stiff belts are not suitable for a child car seat. For a comfortable fixation of the position of the baby, the chair is equipped with wide belts.

• Side protection. Designed to protect the baby from injury from the side. Adjusting the belts in width takes into account the size of a particular baby, taking into account the number of clothes on him and the structural features of the body.
• Protective removable cover. For baby car seats, carriers produce special, environmentally friendly covers made of natural fabrics that allow air to pass through and are easy to wash. Children’s covers differ in hypoallergenicity and antistatic effect.
• Seat belt attachments. Child car seats are equipped with a three-point or five-point harness system. The five-point system contributes to an even distribution of the load on the adjustment belts, protecting the body of a small passenger from damage in cases of emergency braking.
• Special insert for newborns. Allows you to conveniently fix the baby, reducing the load on the spine.

Pros and cons of a baby car seat

The versatility of car carriers expands the scope of applications.

Advantages of a child car seat-carrying:

• the use of carrying when visiting a clinic, when traveling by other modes of transport,
• use as a means for motion sickness or feeding children,
• high level of comfort and protection of the child’s body.

Disadvantages of a baby car seat:

• non-compliance with the basic requirements for fixation devices. If the carrier does not have the ability to adjust the position of the back, there are no head restraints and special soft liners that gently fix the body during movement, the trip will cause a lot of inconvenience to the crumbs.

Narrow fixation belts, in conditions of improper adjustment (too strong / weak tension) can lead to additional injuries in emergency situations on the roads.

• limited capacity to replace other means of transport for children by carrying (walking limited to a short distance).

How to use

In order for the operation of the car seat-carrier to be safe and comfortable, a number of requirements are imposed on the design and quality of the carrier:

1. Reliable fixation of fasteners that can hold the child’s body during emergency braking or pushing.
2. Comfortable backrest adjustment for minimal back strain.
3. Compliance with modern safety standards, confirmed by the presence of the marking “ECE-R44/03” or “ECE-R44/04” on the product.
4. Five-point harness system for even tension distribution.
5. Hypoallergenic anti-static textile cover made of natural material.
6. The presence of a handle, means of protection from the sun’s rays for comfortable use.

Additional protection or comfort:

• mosquito net,
• raincoat (against the rain),
• footrest with adjustment mechanism
• headrest pillow,
• warm envelope,
• apron to protect the legs,
• coaster,
• device for heating food on the road,
• humidifier.

The degree of need for accessories is determined by parents depending on the specific situation.

How to install

A portable device for transporting children under one year old is mounted on the front or rear seat in the direction opposite to the direction of the car. Fastening against the direction of the car is considered the safest, since in the event of a frontal impact on the road, fixing the seat with the person in the direction of travel can be fatal.

In the event of a car collision, it is difficult for a baby to hold his head because of the poorly developed cervical vertebrae and the relatively large mass of the child’s head.

Car seat-carrier is attached in 2 ways:

1. With the use of ISOFIX, an additional base that comes with the kit. ISOFIX is placed on the seat and fixed with a standard car fastening system (seat belt). After fixing the base, install and secure the chair. When removing the carrier with the baby from the car, the base is left on the seat.
2. Direct attachment to car seat.

When placing the baby in the chair, make sure that the seat belts fit snugly around the body, without squeezing it, and preventing free movements.

For safe travel, motorists with young children take the following precautions:

1. For maximum safety, the car seat is mounted in the back seat behind the driver.
2. If only a mother with a child travels in the car and there is no one to follow the small passenger, it is better to fix the seat in the front seat. This will allow you to be less distracted while driving.
3. When the carrier is placed in the front seat, the front airbag is deactivated.to avoid the risk of further injury if the airbag deploys in an accident.
4. The baby is tightly fixed in a position convenient for him, and the movement is started, making sure that the baby does not get out of the chair while the car is moving.
5. Due to increased child fatigue on the road, car travel with children in a carrier is limited to one and a half hours, after which they take a break.

How to choose a baby car seat

When choosing a car seat for children up to a year, the following parameters are taken into account:

1. High degree of protection.

Pay attention to the reliability of fasteners, the width of the seat belts, the presence of additional liners. Structures must bear the ECE R44/03 mark to ensure that the product complies with the European Safety Standard. If this marking is applied, then the device for fixing children in the car has passed the full cycle of safety and quality tests.

2. Travel convenience.

To ensure that traveling with a baby does not cause discomfort, the back of the car seat-carrier is carefully adjusted, eliminating the additional load on the back. The baby is fixed with wide straps, tightly fitting, but not squeezing the body. Protection from sunlight and overheating is provided by a visor or an additional cover.

3. Ease of use. For those who often reinstall the car seat to different cars, easy removal and fixation is important, which will save you extra fuss when traveling with children. The reversible handle of the device should be convenient for transporting the baby from / to the car.
4. The quality of the materials used. Pay attention to the materials from which it is made. The main design details must be strong, environmentally friendly, and not cause allergies. The chair cover is chosen from materials that allow air to pass freely to avoid sweating or overheating of the baby in the car.
5. Compliance with dimensions and weight baby car seat dimensions.

Before buying a carrier, check whether the size of the product matches the height and weight of the baby. The child is preliminarily placed in the carrier, checking whether it will be comfortable for him, whether parts of the body are squeezed, whether the baby will get out of the chair during movement.

6. Possibility of installation of carrying on the wheelbase of the stroller. As an added benefit, you can use the car seat as a stroller.
7. Before you buy your favorite modelget acquainted with the results of crash tests of specialized automotive publications.

The requirement to install a car seat is caused by a vital necessity in conditions of increased danger on the roads. Ignoring or non-compliance with this requirement often leads to sad consequences.

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