A child seat is an integral part of the car if you have to transport children frequently. Let's consider how to choose the right chair, fix it, its characteristics and cost.
The content of the article:
- Pros of a child seat
- Variety
- How to choose the right one
- Price
- Installation process
If a young daddy or mommy owns a car, then naturally from the first months they will take care of the safety of their children during road trips. For the safety of adults while driving, there are seat belts, but for children - special chairs.
A child car seat is necessary already during preparation for transporting the child from the maternity hospital. And in general, there are different chairs with different child positions. For example, if the child is less than a year old, then a recumbent cradle will be needed to transport it, and if it is more than a year old, then special chairs are already installed in a semi-sitting position.
You can buy a child seat at any car store. Its quality and quantity of bells and whistles primarily depend on the amount available. There are quite simple chairs at an affordable price for everyone, and there are also those that have a cover for the baby's legs and an envelope for the cold season. They are more expensive.
Positive aspects of a child car seat
The first and, perhaps, the most important advantage of a child car seat is that the transportation of a baby is possible already at the age of up to six months. But the interesting thing is that the developers of the child seat have created the seat so that later it could be used in a modern version of the stroller. And another plus is that it can be used as a rocking chair.
It is worth saying one thing - the more expensive a child car seat, the more functions and capabilities it has. So, when choosing a chair to your taste and wallet, it is best to consult in special stores what is better and what is worse, both in terms of price, and in terms of quality and its capabilities.
Sometimes young mummies and daddies have a question - until what age do you need child car seats? In general, it can be said that these child seats are usually designed for the transport of children weighing up to 36 kg. And it is these parameters that are suitable for children under 5-6 years old. It all depends on the build of the baby.
And already when the child has left the weight category of 36 kg, then it is then that the seat belts begin to be used during the transportation of the child.
The transportation of the baby must be carried out in accordance with the legislation of the country. Therefore, the SDA states that the transportation of the baby is possible only if their complete safety is ensured. In the event that a motorist bypasses these rules, then this is fraught with the payment of fines of various sizes. But still, the baby must be safe while driving on the road.
Grouping of child car seats
Manufacturers of child car seats produce them according to the weight category of children. As a rule, it is worth separating three groups of seats (not cradles). The first group involves the transportation of a baby weighing from 7 to 18 kg.
In order to secure a child car seat of the first group, it is necessary to direct it in the direction of travel. There, manufacturers have provided special belts with which it is attached. It is fixed with the car's standard seat belt.
The second group of child car seats provides for a child's weight from 16 to 25 kg. But the third group was created for children weighing from 21 to 36 kg.
For newborn babies, car seats are suitable, which provide for the location of the child in a lying or sitting position in the weight category up to 18 kg.
In general, children's car seats are also universal. This means that they have many different functions, and such chairs have the ability to adjust the required parameters (i.e. height, width).
Choosing a child car seat
Manufacturers of child car seats do not always think about what product and where they sell it. In other words, in the domestic car market there are now problems with child car seats, since they may not meet international or domestic norms and standards. It is for checking child car seats that there are various kinds of extreme checks (they are also crash tests) to make sure ( or vice versa) in the reliability of a particular child seat. After such checks, a list of reliable and not very car seats for the child is drawn up.
To find out which child car seat is reliable and which is not very reliable after a crash test, you just need to ask the seller or consultant of the car store about a special Certificate of Conformity. It should indicate the recommendation of the chair, and if it is not there, then this is considered a simple Chinese fake, or it means that the product entered the market without official permission.
Pricing policy for child car seats
The most common and already proven models of Cybex children's car seats have only positive reviews from motorists who purchased them for their beloved children. The model range includes various types of child car seats. That is why the price for them ranges from $ 40 to $ 500. It all depends on the wishes of the buyer and his wallet.
Less popular are Leader Kids, Cam, Capella and Kenga car seat models. Leader Kids car seats range from $ 40 to $ 150, Cam - from $ 150 to $ 350, Capella - from $ 90 to $ 250, and Kenga - from $ 30 to $ 190.
Installing a child car seat
The first step is to choose the desired and possible place to place the child car seat. As a rule, it is placed in the center of the rear seat. It happens that a child seat is attached to the sides of the center of the rear seat. But, these two places are not very safe for the baby. Another option is also possible when the pillow does not work or does not exist at all. Then you can position the seat there.
When installing a child car seat, there are only two options for correct installation. The first, standard, is that the seat is fastened using the standard seat belts, but the second, newer method, is the IsoFix system.
When the first method is preferred, you first need to pay attention to the length of the standard seat belts. It is on their length that the normal fixation of the baby in the child's car seat depends. When these belts are not in the back seat of the car, you will need to go to a service center and install them.
When buying a child car seat, you need to consult with the seller, as well as be sure to ask for instructions for the product to study the necessary details, since consultants cannot always tell the truth or make mistakes. It is also very important to ask a knowledgeable person to show you the correct adjustment and installation of this or that child car seat. It is worth paying attention to the location of the belts. They should not be too close, and also protrude.
The IsoFix system is an innovation in the development of the installation of child car seats. It is quite simple and, importantly, reliable. Therefore, all modern cars have this system in stock.And all due to the fact that it is safe and meets all international and domestic standards.
Steel hinges make up the IsoFix system. They form the letter "p", the ends of which are 280 mm apart. The hinges are attached to the vehicle frame (namely between the seat backs). The selected child seat can be secured using locks. First you need to find the braces that are on the back of the seat. They also need to be matched with the armchair brackets and fixed. Clicking will indicate correct installation.
There is also an additional mount. To do this, it is necessary to secure the child car seat using a special anchor belt.
If a young daddy or mommy decided to carry their child in their arms, or in an unequipped passenger seat, then this may be fraught, first of all, for the baby. To avoid such, to put it mildly, unpleasant situations, you just need to buy a child car seat in accordance with the required weight group.
