Keep this in mind when traveling with an infant. Features That Make a Good Car Seat Stand Out
When putting together a layette for their little one, parents pay a lot of attention to items such as a stroller, clothes, baby care products, and accessories that make caring for their child easier. In the midst of all the preparations, they suddenly realize that they’ll have to transport the baby by car somehow—even if it’s just from the hospital to their home. The decision isn't made any easier by older generations, who keep saying, “Back in their day, there were no car seats—kids just sat on your lap.”. Today we know that this kind of behavior is extremely dangerous, but transporting a toddler in an inappropriate car seat can be just as dangerous. How to identify a model worth paying attention to, and above all—how to use it correctly?
Passed crash tests
Many manufacturers of infant car seats boast that their products have the European ECE-R44/04 certification, highlighting it as an undeniable guarantee of safety. However, it merely means approval for sale, And virtually every child car seat passes the test required for certification.. So there’s no guarantee that, in the event of sudden braking or a traffic accident, such a car seat will save your child’s life. So, which model should you choose?? The one that has undergone crash tests—the ADAC or Plus Test—and, most importantly, passed them with flying colors.
Option to transport the child facing away from the direction of travel
It's not without reason that infant carriers—the first child car seats—are designed to be installed only in a rear-facing position. This is because this method of transporting young children is the safest for their delicate and still developing spines cervical. When a car comes to a sudden stop, a child’s body—and especially the child’s head—is thrown forward due to inertia. This may result in fractures of the cervical vertebrae, which poses a direct threat to the child's life. Experts recommend that children ride facing backward until they turn 4. the age when the spine is strong enough to support the head during braking. RWF models are used for this purpose; for example, Cybex car seat Sirona, available for purchase at our 3Kiwi store. An additional advantage of rear-facing car seats is that, during braking, the child’s back and head are pressed against the seat’s backrest, which distributes the immense forces that acts on the child's body and ensures that the child does not sustain any injuries.
Installation using the ISOFIX system or seat belts
In theory, all car seats on the market use one installation method or the other. However, experience shows that many people do not use them correctly, which significantly reduces the safety of a young child traveling by car. So before you choose a car seat, make sure it has clearly marked, sturdy belt guides, Then route the straps according to the instructions, adjusting for any slack. If you choose a model with a base, make sure it is positioned on the couch as recommended by the manufacturer, and ensure that you install the car seat correctly.