How to choose a car seat for a child from 1 year old?

Modern children learn from infancy what transport is, because more than 50% of Russian families have their own car. This widespread motorization poses a number of questions for parents, for example, how to choose a car seat for a child from 1 year old.

The need for a chair

Personal vehicle accidents are everywhere. Looking at such statistics, since 2007, a change has been made to the traffic rules about the need to install child car seats. These devices are vital for the baby, and this is clearly evidenced by the example of foreign countries. Thus, in Germany, out of 10,000 children who were involved in road traffic accidents, 32 children were injured. In percentage terms, this indicator is small and is the result of the use of a restraint device in each vehicle.

It has been proven that standard car belts are not able to protect a person less than 150 cm tall. While a child car seat is able to prevent injuries such as:

fractures of the hip joints and ribs with a side impact;
fractures of the shoulder joints;
concussion of the brain with a side impact;
fractures of the neck.

You can endlessly enumerate the injuries that a baby can receive in a head-on collision, falling out of a window or being crushed by one of the parents who held him in his arms while driving. Safety is the main goal of car seats. It should be provided by every parent who has taken responsibility for the little person. In addition to the key task - to preserve the life and health of the baby, the child restraint device is capable of performing the following functions:

to make the child's stay in the car while awake more comfortable;
ensure a healthy sleep while traveling;
fix the baby, protecting the driver from unnecessary worries.

Understanding the types

The types of car seats are varied and can be classified not only by age group, but also by the number of components. Today, the market for goods includes such types as:

tripartite - these models, in addition to the seat bowl, have a table and a leg support.

It should be said that the protective table makes the structure much more expensive and less secure. Scientists in Japan have found that by reducing the load on the cervical vertebrae, the table increases it 5 times in case of an accident on the baby's abdominal cavity;

two-part models are devoid of such a dangerous part and are equipped only with an additional support for the legs in the form of a soft or plastic stand. It helps to take a comfortable position even for an older baby, which is especially important on long trips;

one-part the seats have only a bowl seat, however, they are also great for a small passenger.

Despite the different number of parts, chairs can be as follows:

with a sleeping position;
without the possibility of tilting.

As a rule, all models with a monolithic bowl have 2-3 positions, which depend on the selected groove on the frame.

The tasks of the various chair positions are as follows:

1 - provides a straight posture of the child in a sitting position;
2 - sets the bowl with a slight inclination, which allows the child to rest and relieve the cervical vertebrae during sleep;
3 - creates the maximum horizontal position of the child, but can only be used when installing the chair against the movement.

Convertible models with a removable back do not have a sleeping position, so they should not be considered suitable for one year old babies. Short and rare trips can be an exception.

Determining the group

The developed car seat groups are designed to help parents around the world choose the right restraint model. The Russian GOST also supports the European division system. There are groups such as:

0 - for babies from birth to 6 months;
0+ - for babies from birth to 1 year;
1 - for children from 9 months to 4 years old;
2 - for children from three to 7 years old;
3 - for children from 6 to 12 years old.

Group 0 and 0+ models should not be used by babies from one year old. Their maximum weight load is up to 10 kg in category 0 and up to 13 kg in category 0+. Group 1 is the only one that parents can choose. Children from 9 to 18 kg can comfortably sit on such devices. The seat of the first group should be installed on the back seat in the direction of the vehicle. However, there are also options with installation against the course in the third lying state. Five-point belts or a holding table act as fastening here.

Models 2 and 3 of groups cannot be used by babies from one year old, because standard car seat belts act as fasteners in them.

And also today on sale you can see models of chairs with combined groups and markings, namely:

0/0 + / 1 - for children from birth to four years old;
0 + / 1 - for children from birth to four years old;
0 + / 1/2 - for children from birth to seven years old;
1/2 - for children from one to seven years old;
1/2/3 - for children from one to 12 years old.

Such models cost the family budget much more democratic designs of individual ages, while having their own shortcomings. For example, models that combine groups 0 and 1 are not able to provide the proper anatomically correct position of a newborn baby.

Criterias of choice

In order to choose the right child car seat model, there are several important characteristics necessary for children of different ages to consider.

The weight

Each chair has its own weight. As practice shows, heavy models are made of more durable plastic with a thick layer, or metal. Lightweight models have a frame with the smallest protection thickness. You can only notice a significant difference in quality in the event of an accident, when light car seats are destroyed by the force of an impact under the child.

Today you can see models with weights from 5 to 12 kg. I must say that some parents deliberately choose lighter devices with the further possibility of their simple rearrangement from one car to another. This idea is perfectly acceptable for short trips over short distances.

Mounting options

Currently, on the Russian market you can see such child seats with fasteners as:

using standard seat belts is quite common. Such a mount is a method of installation by pulling a standard belt into the special grooves of the car seat under the cover;
the Isofix system allows you to secure the baby car seat using special brackets at the bottom of the device. Anchor brackets act as the place of adhesion to the car. The system has successfully proved itself abroad, having passed all tests with dignity.

Additionally, the models can be equipped with a retractable thrust mechanism or anchor belts. According to experts, such innovations provide high-level protection.

Safety

For the safe stay of the child in the car, not only the main attachments of the restraint are important, but also its own car seat mountings, which may be as follows:

single-point;
three-point;
five-point;
in the form of a holding table.

The number of attachment points directly affects the quality of protection and the load that can fall on the baby in case of an emergency. So, rather rare one-point models fix the child in the chair only along the tummy line, providing the most incorrect position upon impact. Three-point attachments run along the shoulders and between the child's legs, five-point attachments also protect the hip joints. The restraining table, as mentioned earlier, relieves the shoulders of the passenger, while negatively affecting the abdominal cavity.

Experts unanimously recommend five-point car seat mountings.

In addition, in order to protect yourself from low-quality goods, you should pay attention to the labeling. It includes such mandatory and informative notes as:

compliance code;
type of car seat;
permissible child weight;
the country in which the chair was produced;
certificate;
batch number;
brand.

A similar sign may look different, however, it should carry the above information. The most common marking is ECE R 44/04. It is a guarantee of the safety of the device and testing it with crash tests.

Quality

The quality of the selected products can be judged by the presence of the following:

all necessary documentation;
certificates of conformity;
complete coincidence of the marking with the existing documents.

And you should also pay attention to the brand. As a rule, well-known brands value their reputation, therefore, they carry out the strictest control of products at all stages of production.

Materials

The variety of restraint devices presented can be admired. You can choose them taking into account any color preferences, tactile sensations and harmony in the car interior. Security should still be the top priority. The frame can be made of plastic or aluminum. The second option is considered the safest and strongest. Its cost is several times higher than the plastic version. High-impact budget plastic has also proven itself well during operation, so many well-known brands successfully produce frames from similar raw materials.

The chair cover can be removable or non-removable. Of course, for a child from a year old, the ability to cleanse the surface from the effects of snacks and just dusty shoes is important. The materials for the cover are the following:

breathable synthetics;
synthetics using natural fibers;
eco-leather;
natural materials.

The choice should be based on the frequency and duration of travel. Thus, it is much more pleasant for a small passenger to sleep and stay awake surrounded by natural fabrics or innovative synthetic fibers than eco-leather. At the same time, the artificial leather is perfect for occasional use and is especially convenient for dusting the seat.

Comfort

The modern rhythm of life requires mobility from parents and their babies, so there are often cases of long-term stay of children in car seats. The main task of moms and dads is to create the most comfortable environment. The comfort of the chair is provided by the following elements:

headrests;
additional leg supports;
the ability to tilt;
back anatomy;
seat softness.

The head restraints in the chair are also responsible for safety in the event of an accident, therefore, they should be as soft and voluminous as possible, and also have the ability to adjust in height. In addition, a good head restraint should protect not only the occipital region, but also the temporal zones of the child.

New or used?

Experts unanimously say about buying an exclusively new chair. A car seat for a child from one to 12 years old or a "separate age" device taken "from the hands" could be involved in an accident, which means it could be damaged and become dangerous for further use.

How do you know if a product fits into a car?

Marking successfully copes with the question of the possibility of using a chair in a particular car. The device type indicated in it can be as follows:

universal - fits all cars, so it can be purchased even taking into account the need for frequent rearrangement of the seat;
semi-universal the type is equipped with additional protective parts, so it can only be correctly installed on specific vehicles specified in the instructions for the holding device;
special models equipped with special functionality and installed in vehicles included in the limited list.

Top rated models

The rating of the best restraint devices is directly dependent on the availability of inspections and crash tests, as well as consumer feedback. The best models for children from a year are the following:

Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl;
Cybex Juno 2-Fix;
Cybex Pallas 2-Fix;
Liko Baby Barty LB 718;
Chicco Seat-up 012.

Each of the models presented is made by a foreign manufacturer, which is responsible for quality by conducting independent frequent checks on its products. In addition, Russian reviews of these car seats are encouraging with optimism, despite the average price category (20,000 rubles). Parents who have chosen such models appreciate the quality and high level of safety of the products recommended in Russia and abroad.

It is worth noting that a huge number of models also have decent characteristics and a lot of positive opinions. So, the Russian brand "Food-food" was able to stand in the same rating with foreign models.