What car seat to choose for a child from 1 year?

There is nothing more expensive than the safety of your own child. When a baby is born in a family, then the question for happy parents is not only feeding, raising, but also moving the baby in the car for examination by specialists, passing tests, and for trips to other important and interesting events. The presence of a special seat for the baby in the car is a real increase in the safety level of a small passenger. Therefore, it is so important to know which car seat to choose for a child from 1 year old, because it is from this age that mostly children begin to travel with their parents. Today we will tell you how to choose a child seat so that it is as comfortable, comfortable, safe as possible.

to contents ↑

Classification of child seats

On January 1, 2007, an amendment to the SDA came into force, which obliges car owners to transport children under 12 years old only in a special chair. It is worth considering that there are no safest car seats, as there is no best device for all children and cars. The best choice for a child and a motorist will be a car seat that matches the age, size of the child, is correctly installed, fixed, and which will be used strictly for its intended purpose each time when traveling in a car.

When choosing a car seat, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

• Reliability, safety. This is the main selection criterion. The seat should be equipped with seat belts, additional head protection.
• Convenience of placement in the cabin, ease of mounting. The chair should be quickly and easily mounted on the car seat, just as easy to remove.
• Matching the weight of the child. Manufacturers very often indicate the age of the child, but this figure is quite approximate, designed for an average baby. The main selection of chairs still need to be made by the weight of a particular baby. There are 5 main groups, which we will discuss below.
• Comfort, convenience for a small passenger. Best of all, when the chair can be adjusted for tilt, so that the child can sit comfortably and lie down during sleep.
• The quality of the fasteners, durability. It is worth choosing models of seats by trusted manufacturers, which guarantee a long service life of products and reliable fixation.
• When choosing a car seat, pay attention to the side protection.

Important! In general, when choosing a chair for a baby, you should pay attention to the presence of the ECE R44 / 03 or ECE R44 / 04 standard (if the manufacturer is foreign) or GOST 41.44 (if the product is from a domestic manufacturer). If such certificates are available, this means that the car seat is fully compliant with all Safety Standards and a full test cycle has passed.

to contents ↑

Categories of car seats for children

All products are divided by weight criteria into 5 categories.

Category 0

The product is intended for newborn babies and children weighing up to 10 kg. Often such a chair is called a car seat:

• The chair is placed in the back seat of the car and it is located sideways to the direction of travel.
• Fasten the car seat with standard belts.
• Breasts in the box can lie or be in a reclining position.

Important! Car seats often have additional protection for the baby’s head, and special mounting belts make this design reliable and convenient. In addition, such a cradle is easy to carry with your child.If you don’t know which car seat to choose for a child from 0 to one year old, then opt for a safe and comfortable cradle.

Category 0+

The carrycot is designed for children from birth and up to 1.5 years old with a weight of up to 13 kg. Externally, the seats of group 0+ are similar to the chairs of group 0, but more versatile and functional:

• The multifunctional design can be used as a cradle-rocking chair, carrying and even a high chair.
• In such infant carriers, the child is in a reclining position, fastened with three-point or five-point belts, and is located with his back in the direction of travel.
• The car seat of group 0+ is installed only against the movement of the car - this is done in order to protect the cervical-vertebral department of the baby during sudden braking.

Important! You can install the carrying chair on any seat (front or rear). The chair has additional protection on the sides and is designed for heavier weight than products of group 0.

Category 1

It is designed for the weight of a child from 9 to 18 kg and an approximate age of 9 months to 4 years:

• Externally, the car seat of group 1 resembles a normal “adult” seat and is attached in the direction of travel.
• The plastic “soap box” on the power frame has several different positions - it can be used for wakefulness and sleep of the child.
• Car seats of the 1st group have additional three-point or five-point child mounts.
• They are equipped with additional head protection and side protection in the event of a car collision.

Important! If you do not know how to choose a car seat for a child from 9 months old, then pay attention to the products of group 1. In these chairs the child can be up to 3-4 years old, which is very convenient and economical.

Category 2 - for older children:

• Designed products weighing from 15 to 25 kg and age from 3 to 7 years.
• The design involves a transition from internal to external belts as the child grows.
• The seat is installed in the direction of the car, that is, the child is facing forward.
• Most group 2 car seats have a height-adjustable backrest that can be removed later.

Category 3:

• Designed for children weighing from 22 to 36 kg and age from 6 to 10 years.
• You can buy a group 3 chair separately or, as an option, you can simply remove the backrest from a category 2 car seat.
• Most often, such chairs are called “booster”, from the English Booster, that is, “amplifier”. The boosters are designed for children with a height above 120 cm and are seats without a back, usually with armrests. The booster raises the child to a height sufficient to use a stationary car seat belt, designed for growth from 150 cm.

Important! There are various combined options for car seats, for example, 0 + / 1, 0 + / 1/2, 1/2/3. Buying such models is usually cheaper. However, in this case, it is often necessary to sacrifice not only comfort, but also safety. As an exception - group 2-3, where the back just retracts.

to contents ↑

Recommendations for choosing a car seat for a child

Despite the rich classification and variety of types of products, many parents do not know which child seat to choose. We hope that our selection recommendations will help you:

• Before you go to the store behind the chair, weigh the child. You must know the exact weight of the baby, as this is the main parameter that you should focus on.
• Take your child with you to the store so that the baby can try out a travel seat. Let the child himself confirm that he is comfortable, otherwise - in case of discomfort, the child will begin to act up and distract the driver.
• Check the availability of the Safety Standard badge (ECE R44 / 03 or GOST 41.44), which guarantees quality and safety.
• For children under the age of 3 years, the presence of internal Y-straps is mandatory. Be sure to inspect the gasket, which secures the small passenger in the crotch area (most often it is cloth).The gasket should be wide and elastic - this is especially true if you choose a chair for the boy.
• Pay attention to the possibility of adjusting the chair on a slope, since many hours of travel require a baby's sleep.
• The cover on the chair should be removable. Children are big fidgets that spin, spin, and pollute the upholstery of an armchair all the time. It will be much more convenient to remove the cover and wash it, rather than constantly brushing the chair manually.
• Be sure to try on a chair in the car and determine its type of mount.

Important! In addition to standard belts, this can be a popular isofix mount. This option is more reliable and easy to use. It is only necessary to snap special locks. This mounting method eliminates the possibility of incorrect installation of the product. However, paying extra for isofix is ​​only in the group of seats 0+, 0 + / 1, 1.

• The chair should be light, as you will have to carry and install it at home. In addition, a very important criterion is the convenience and ease of installation of the product.
• When choosing, be guided by the main criteria: safety, convenience and comfort. Examine the crash tests of products that are provided by: the Auto Review magazine, the Swiss club TCS, the German club ADAC, the Spanish automobile club RACC, the Dutch association ANWB. All these organizations regularly conduct tests and publish test results for safety, ergonomics, efficiency and ease of use - both for the baby and parents.
• When buying a chair, opt for those stores that provide a discount card for the purchase of goods and where it is possible to change the product to another group. Consider the fact that soon the child will have to transfer to another, more comfortable place as he grows, and products of all five groups of the indicated classification should be on sale in the store.

to contents ↑

Rating of the best crash test models:

• Category 0 - Kiddy Evo-Lunafix, Cybex Aton Q i-size;
• Category 0+ - “The Hook Varioguard”, Recaro Zero.1;
• Category 1 - Cybex Sirona M2 i-size, Recaro optiafix;
• Category 2-3 - Britax Roemer Discovery, Maxi-Cosi Rodifix.

to contents ↑

Stock footage

We hope that the information and recommendations set forth in the article will help you choose a car seat for a little traveler, which will provide maximum comfort and will guarantee its safety. Bon Voyage!