How to choose and install a child restraint system in a car

At what age can you carry children in the front?

The law does not establish a minimum threshold for the age of the child. This means that a child seat can be placed in the front seat from birth. But you need to take into account that the car seat itself must be age appropriate.

As for the upper limit, it is 12 years. After this age, the driver can safely use standard seat belts for the child.

Innovations in traffic rules from 2021

In the summer of 2021, namely on July 12, adjustments were made to the traffic rules. They, in particular, touched on how to transport a child in the front seat.

The differences between the new version of the traffic rules and the previous one are as follows:

1. The concept of “other devices” is excluded. This means that from 2021, you can only use a car seat in both the back and front seats, and not any straps or fasteners. It has been experimentally established that only front and rear car seats can reduce the risks of negative consequences in accidents. And the car’s standard seat belts do a better job of safety than “other devices.”
2. For this reason, from 2021 it is legal to transport children from seven years old to twelve years old in the rear seat using standard seat belts. The choice of parents should be justified by the physiological characteristics of the children.

MOTHER AND DADDY ARE IN ANSWER

At eight in the morning, the roads near Moscow are busy: cars with drivers and passengers are rushing about their business - they need to be on time for work, and on the way they also need to drop off children at kindergarten or school. But haste is haste, and safety comes first. Therefore, last Tuesday, many drivers driving along the Volokolamsk Highway in Krasnogorsk had to slow down.

As part of the traditional “Child Car Seat” campaign, traffic police officers checked how vigilant road users are regarding the safety of minors. In accordance with the Road Traffic Regulations, children from birth to seven years old can only be transported in a car in a special restraint device. Violators will face a fine.

“Our goal is not to issue an administrative violation and issue a fine, but to convince drivers that it is impossible to violate the rules for transporting small passengers,” said police captain Alla Ershova, senior inspector for promoting road safety of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Krasnogorsk urban district.

Advantages of front transport

The placement of a child seat in the front seat has its positive aspects:

1. The driver can always have easy and free access to the child. This is especially important if a newborn baby or a toddler who is not yet able to care for himself is riding in the front of the car. So, for example, if there is a child seat in the front seat, you can give the child a bottle or rattle in his hands without being distracted from driving and without stopping on the side of the road.
2. When mom or dad (another adult) are nearby in close proximity to the baby, he feels much more comfortable. It is much easier to calm a child in the front seat when he is whimsical and crying.
3. Tests have proven that a baby in a car seat in the front seat is less susceptible to motion sickness. For this reason, the risk of unpleasant situations on the road is reduced by several percent. And the driver will feel calmer.
4. For older children, who have already moved out of the car seat and can use a car seat in the front seat in the direction of travel of the car, it is much more interesting to look at the road, since the view becomes larger.

Disadvantages of carrying in front

Despite all the comfort of placing a child in the front seat in a chair, this method also has its disadvantages:

1. Thus, statistics inexorably show that the front car seat is a dangerous place for a child if the car suddenly gets into an accident. Especially when the car has airbags that deploy at the moment of a collision. The safest place in a car for a child is considered to be the one located in the back seat in the central part.
2. If adults bought a car seat with an isofix fastening system for a child, then such a product is not suitable for installation on the front seat of a car due to its design features.

Tips for transporting a child in a car

There is a generally accepted gradation by weight categories, as well as the location of the car seat depending on weight/age, it operates in accordance with ECE R44/04 and in accordance with domestic GOST.

Below is a table showing how car seats are divided and secured according to the weight and age of the child.

Infants have weak necks and rather large heads (in relation to the body), so they must be placed in a semi-lying position facing the rear of the car body or perpendicularly (depending on age and type of cradle), since in the event of emergency braking or an accident there will be there is no inertial push that could damage a fragile organism.

Rules for transportation in the front seat

Before placing a child seat in the front seat, it is necessary to study the rules that ensure maximum safety for the child on the road. These include the following:

1. If your vehicle is equipped with a front airbag, it must be disabled. In the event of a collision, the system may not be switched off and may cause further harm to a child in the front.
2. Before attaching the car seat, the front seat of the car must be moved as far into the interior as possible in order to place the device comfortably and with maximum safety.
3. Before driving, be sure to check your side visibility.

Important! Following these rules will help keep your child safe while driving on the road with a car seat in the front seat.

Which seats are suitable for transportation in front - rating

You can install a child seat in the front seat of any type and type with some restrictions. The main thing is to respect the age and physiological characteristics of the child so that transporting the child in the front seat in a car seat is comfortable and safe for all passengers.

It is worth noting once again that products equipped with an isofix mount are not suitable for the front seats.

So, the rating looks like this.

Group 0 (from 0 to 10 kg)

This seat cannot be installed in the front seat. It's all about the design of the product.

Group 0+ (from 0 to 13 kg)

In this category there are products that can be placed in front of the vehicle in the cabin, but only against the direction of travel of the vehicle. An example is the product Britax romer baby safe plus

Britax Romer Baby Safe Plus (read review)

• serves as both a car seat and a regular baby carrier;
• fastening occurs using belts available in the car without additional devices;
• The set includes a comfortable pillow with anatomical properties;
• the internal belts of the car seat have a pleasant-to-touch layer, which is located on the reverse side;
• Additionally, the chair is equipped with a protective hood for a comfortable stay for the child;
• a baby head support system is provided, and the headrest itself can be moved across seven levels;
• The tilt of the cradle back and internal straps are also adjustable;
• To keep the car seat clean, the cover can be removed for washing;
• Enhanced safety during side collisions is provided.

Advantages

• high position in the rating based on crash test results;
• removable cover;
• durable product.

Flaws

• heavy construction;
• The material of the cover does not suit the buyers.

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Group 0+/1 (from 0 to 18 kg)

This group of car seats can be placed in the front seat both rearward and forward.

Peg-Perego Viaggio 0+/1 Switchable (read review)

• fastening with car seat belts;
• product weight 10 kg;
• additional side impact protection;
• there is an anatomical pillow;
• The internal five-point harness has soft padding.

Advantages

• chair position settings;
• comfortable;
• wide and soft seat;
• five-point seat belts.

Flaws

• not found.

The crash test result is 2 points.

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Group 1 (from 9 to 18 kg)

Car seats in this category can also be installed in the direction of travel of the car or with the child's back facing forward. One of the representatives of this group is Britax romer king ii.

Britax Romer King ii (read review)

• secured in the car using standard seat belts;
• equipped with an anatomical pillow;
• The set includes soft pads on the internal belts for the child’s comfort during the trip;
• the belts are five-point;
• the backrest can be adjusted in five positions;
• Provides side impact protection.

Advantages

• convenience;
• ease of operation;
• workmanship;
• increased security;
• large selection of colors.

Flaws

• the product itself is quite heavy;
• high price.

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Group 0/1/2 (from 0 to 25 kg)

This group of car seats contains devices for transporting children, which can only be installed facing forward in the direction of travel of the car.

Joie Stages (read review)

• fastening in the car using standard belts;
• Anatomical pillows are included;
• The internal straps have soft pads for comfort;
• the car seat has an additional pocket for things;
• thought out support for the head of a newborn;
• internal five-point belts, removable;
• the headrest is adjustable in five positions;
• seat belts are installed at five levels;
• additional side impact protection.

Advantages

• nice price;
• functionality;
• product quality.

Flaws

Not detected.

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Group ½ (from 9 to 25 kg)

Can be installed in the direction of travel. One of the representatives of this group is the Mishutka car seat lb 718.

Mishutka lb 718 (read review)

• designed for children from 9 to 25 kg;
• secured in the car with standard belts;
• installation only with the child facing forward;
• An anatomical airbag is included;
• there are soft pads on the car seat belts;
• horizontal position of the backrest is not provided;
• additional side impact protection;
• The backrest is adjustable - 3 positions.

Advantages

• increased child safety while driving;
• quality of execution;
• The backrest can be adjusted.

Flaws

• synthetic fabric is used;
• heavy product;
• takes up a lot of space in the car.

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Group 1/2/3 (from 9 to 36 kg)

Armchairs in this group can be installed. along the way. Representative – Britax Romer Evolva 1 2 3.

Britax Romer Evolva 1 2 3 (read review)

• fastening with car seat belts;
• installation in the direction of travel of the vehicle;
• no horizontal back position;
• The height of the headrest is adjustable;
• there is additional protection against side impacts;
• The cover can be removed to keep the car seat clean.

Advantages

• increased security;
• ease of use;
• reliability;
• structural strength;
• wear-resistant materials;
• versatility.

Flaws

• difficult to install in a car.

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Group ⅔ (from 15 to 36 kg)

Car seats of this type can be installed facing the child forward in the direction of travel of the vehicle. An example of such a product is Britax Romer Kid ii.

Britax Romer Kid ii (read review)

• fastening in the car using standard belts;
• forward facing installation;
• An anatomical pillow is included;
• the headrest is adjustable in 11 positions;
• protection against side impacts is provided;
• the cover is removable;
• cannot be installed on a chassis.

Advantages

• the headrest and the entire chair have additional protection against side impacts;
• complies with European safety standards;
• removable cover.

Flaws

• inconvenient fastening;
• high cost of a car seat.

Compare prices in the store

Thus, a detailed answer has been given to the question of whether it is possible to transport children in a car seat in the front seat and what are the rules, pros and cons.

Device installation

Most manufacturers supply car seats complete with the necessary items for installation and secure fastening in the car.

List of accessories for installing the product:

• stands;
• various belts;
• fastenings;
• a whole range of accessories.

The manufacturer must provide instructions for assembly, installation of the chair and proper operation. The best place to place a child car seat is in the back seat of the car. In the event of an accident, the airbag deployment poses a serious danger to the baby in the front seat. The purchased seat should be installed in the “middle passenger” seat; it is considered the safest.

It is not advisable to place a seat behind the front passenger seat and move the latter to secure it. A well-secured car seat in itself can protect the baby, but a passenger seat that is moved too close can cause additional damage to the baby.

Before installation, pay attention to one point: all car seats are standardized and have red and blue marks on their body. If the marks are red, then it is installed facing forward. If the marks are blue, then it needs to be installed backwards.

Algorithm for installing a child restraint system for a car on conventional seat belts:

1. A place to place a child seat is selected.
2. According to the instructions, pull out the belt and pass it through the special holes in the chair. Especially for this purpose, there are colored markings (red or blue) where the belt passes.
3. The diagonal straps are fastened into locks, then you need to press on the chair and fix it.
4. Check the fastening by trying to remove it from the seat. A properly secured car seat should not move out of place.

Some of the seats are well secured with standard vehicle seat belts. Many modern models of child seats are equipped with ISOFIX systems - this is a fixation system directly connected to the car body. Their fastenings are made of durable stainless steel and work on the principle of carabiners, like regular belts for holding passengers in cars. ISOFIX connectors are most often located on the sides, so the middle passenger seat may not be suitable.

Installation method for a child car seat with the ISOFIX system:

1. Select a place in the back seat of the car where the baby will be.
2. The car mounts are removed and then connected to the connectors.

Sometimes the instructions provide for additional fastening with car safety belts. You must read the accompanying documents carefully.

When choosing and purchasing a car seat for a baby, you should pay attention to:

1. Results of completed crash tests.
2. Is there a certificate?
3. Visible signs of wear: torn or faded straps, broken or cracked plastic or buckles.
4. The functionality of the adapters must be checked.
5. Lack of Velcro fasteners; if there are any, then this model cannot be taken.

This video demonstrates the processes of selecting and installing group 0+ and group 1 car seats.