Child car seat up to 36 kg
Regular seat belts are not able to protect a passenger with a height of less than 145 cm. Moreover, they will cause irreparable harm. The three-point belt of the car in the event of an accident will pass along the neck, and the lower one – along the central part of the abdomen. The consequences of the accident will be fatal.
Types of child car seats up to 36 kg
To protect children when transporting in a car, the restraint is selected according to weight and height.
For small passengers weighing less than 36 kg, there are three options:
- Group 1-2-3 (universal) – a car seat designed for weight from 9 to 36 kg;
- Group 2-3 (specialized) – a booster with a backrest for a passenger weighing from 15 to 36 kg;
- Group 2-3 (specialized) – booster without a back, designed for a passenger weighing from 15 to 36 kg.
When fixed with a regular car belt, the last two groups in the list compensate for the lack of height and weight of a small passenger. The first is universal, designed to transport children of various ages: from nine-month-old babies to twelve-year-olds (135 cm tall).
Children under 4 years old (up to 6-7 in some models) are fixed with internal straps. With a height of 100-110 cm – regular three-point.
Design
Universal group
These chairs are divided into two types:
- Designed on the basis of the seat for the smallest (for children 9-18 kg), belonging to the first group;
- Designed on the basis of seats for passengers weighing 15-36 kg, the second and third groups.
I type
In the passenger compartment, the device is rigidly fixed with a belt included in the delivery set, when transporting a passenger weighing up to 18 kg. The baby himself is fastened with three- or five-point internal belts. As the child grows, the geometry of the seat changes.
It transforms, and the baby is fixed together with the seat using the car’s main seat belt. Special guides for it allow you to provide the child with convenience and safety.
II type
The basis of the device is a model of category 2-3, which added a “safety table” (shockproof screen) and a sealing pillow under the baby’s buttocks. This made it possible to transport children from 9 months in a restraint. In fact, the child is held by a car belt. Until a height of 100 cm is reached, a holding table is used.
The chair of the first, universal category should be easily adjusted as you grow. The height of the head restraint and the length of the straps of the inner belts are changed.
Universal category holding devices are ergonomically shaped. The case is made of impact-resistant and energy-absorbing plastic with shock-absorbing elements on the sides.
The Isofix system is present in models of car seats of the universal category with a shockproof screen.
The Isofix system consists of two brackets that are located at the base of the child restraint. The elements are connected to the brackets located between the seat and backrest in the car.
One for car and car seat manufacturers worldwide. Its main purpose is to eliminate errors when installing the restraint in the cabin. According to statistics, about 70% of them are fixed with standard belts incorrectly. To mount the base, connect the brackets to the counterpart brackets in the machine.
On the base, the device always assumes the correct position, regardless of the angle of the car seat. Isofix is used in car seats of group 0+ and 1. In the seats of these weight groups, it takes on all the impact force in an emergency.
In the universal category, this is a trend and a marketing ploy of manufacturers. The system fully performs its functions only in groups 0+ and 1. It may be nominally present in others. The load in an emergency will be on the table.
Advantages of the universal group:
- you can change the angle of the backrest for a comfortable sleep;
- cost savings – instead of buying two devices: for a small child and an adult, one is purchased.
- anatomically fit children more than other models.
Disadvantages:
- the level of protection for children from 8 years is reduced compared to the group 2-3 due to the lack of a floating back;
- It is not safe to transport children under one and a half years of age in the forward facing position of the car.
Group 2-3 – booster with back
Booster with back – a pillow with a floating back attached to it, a headrest and plastic inserts on the sides.
Plastic inserts that look like “ears” are called SICT or LSP. Their function is additional shock absorption between the car door and the child seat, reducing the load in case of a side impact. The disadvantage of the elements is that with them it takes up more space in the cabin and leaves little space for passengers. In some modifications, they are removed or unscrewed.
It is designed so that in an emergency, the movement of the passenger’s body takes place without injury to internal organs.
You can operate it when the baby reaches a height of 100 cm. You can stop using the chair when the shoulders of a teenager with a height of 135-140 cm rest against the headrest of the chair. In this case, the passenger can already be securely fastened with a conventional seat belt without additional devices.
Advantages of a booster with a back:
- the baby’s spine takes the correct position in the restraint;
- low price subject to constant use;
- simple fixing scheme.
Disadvantages:
- the car seat is bulky and takes up a lot of space compared to a backless booster;
- small angle of inclination for relaxation.
The connections of the parts of the car seat are not rigid. The back is poorly fixed and can fall freely when exposed to it. This is explained by the fact that the load falls on the three-point car belt, and the holding device itself only complements it. The unfolded seat is easier to carry.
The main thing is that the back repeats the angle of the sofa in the car. It is forbidden to recline it to obtain a comfortable slope. There is a risk that the baby will slip under the straps and fall out of the restraint.
Booster – a seat without a back, with armrests. Boosters are made from foam, plastic or metal. The chair is used only after reaching a height of 100 cm and a weight of 15 kg;
A foam seat is a cheap and impractical option. He is unable to protect the passenger and is more of a dummy seat. The plastic booster is stronger, but at the same time it is light in weight. The most popular seat option without a back.
A seat with a metal frame is heavier and more difficult to assemble. Reliable option with a high degree of protection in case of an accident. It consists of several layers: a metal frame, a plastic layer, a shock-absorbing pad, and a fabric lining.
When buying, check how the seat holds its shape. A high-quality model does not deform and does not wrinkle. The booster must have a removable cover.
How to choose a child car seat up to 36 kg
Unsafe option – without fastening. The booster is placed on the sofa in the cabin, a small passenger sits in it, the usual car seat belt acts as a holding device.
Reliable booster mounts: Isofix and its American counterpart – the Latch system. It differs from the Isofix system in that metal brackets replace straps with plastic latches. In car seats of the category up to 36 kilograms, there is no difference with the fastening of the European system. And in both cases, only the car seat is held.
Tips for buying a booster:
- choose a seat with high armrests. In an accident, they minimize the pressure of the seat belt;
- try on the car seat in the car with your child. The elements of the restraint must not touch the child’s neck;
- choose not too high model.
Advantages of boosters:
- low price;
- simplicity and ease of installation and operation;
- the seat is suitable for small cars that do not fit devices with a back;
- the presence of accessories, for example, a place for a water bottle.
Disadvantages of Boosters:
- due to safety requirements, it is impossible to increase the angle of inclination for a comfortable stay;
- low degree of protection: the baby is vulnerable in the event of a side impact, and he is much more dangerous than a frontal one;
- low degree of protection for children under the age of 10 years;
When choosing between a booster with or without a back, give preference to the first option.
Sometimes parents try to keep their grown children safe by placing a pillow or an inflatable car seat under the buttocks. Some unscrupulous manufacturers offer adapters that tighten the straps. It’s not worth it. When a car seat is not available, a buster is the preferred option.
Isofix system
In car seats of category 2-3, the load in the event of an accident falls on the standard car belt. To provide protection, the car seat slides forward.
The Isofix power mount in this case only interferes, therefore, it is not used in this category of car seats. But because of its popularity, manufacturers use similar ones, calling them “kidfix”, “isofit”.
This is not Isofix, but similar devices that are compatible with the design features for older children. The fastening system in this category should be easily unfastened, shifted forward in an accident.
The system practically does not affect the safety of the chair. With Isofix, it is more convenient to use a car seat, because it is not necessary to fix the restraint when driving a car without a baby. It is more convenient for a small passenger to sit down in a car seat when it has a fixation.
Precautionary measures
Buy only certified car seats that comply with the European standard ECE R 44/04. Non-certified ones cost less, but will not perform the protection function at best. At worst, they themselves will cause a tragedy.
Before fixing the car seat in the cabin, read the instructions. In some models of category 1-2-3, the use of the Isofix system is incorrect. When used by a child up to 100 cm tall, Isofix is used in tandem with a three-point car safety straps, and when moving into category 2-3, only with it.
Parents, without reading the instructions, put the seat on the “decorative” Isofix and endanger the child.
Manufacturers do not advise using a car seat if it has been in an accident. The appearance of the restraint may not be affected, and internal damage may not be visible. For the same reason, purchase used seats only from people you know.
Car seats for children – protection and comfort. It is inconvenient for kids to travel while sitting in the passenger seat of a car. The spine suffers from an unnatural twisted position. The kid gets up to see what is happening outside the window, which distracts the driver from the road.
No matter how comfortable and reliable the seat is, it is not advisable for a child to be in a sitting position for more than three hours.
Before buying, look at the car seat yourself and only then take your son or daughter to the store. Do not purchase a car seat without a child. Focus on comfort first. Ask the seller to “try on” the car seat in the car.
A car seat that is correctly selected for the weight, height, age and constitutional features of the passenger can protect the baby in the event of an accident; proper fixation in the car is important.
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