Up to what age is a child seat allowed?

Do you need a car seat?

A car seat for newborns is necessary from the very first days of a child’s life, starting from the threshold of the maternity hospital. You cannot do without a baby car seat and transport your baby in a car in the arms of adults, since according to current legislation, the use of child restraints is mandatory.

While the child does not sit independently, the car seat installed in the car provides him with:

comfortable position and reliable fixation in the car;
convenience when carrying a baby sleeping in a cradle;
practicality for regular trips to clinical examinations.

In case of emergency braking or sudden maneuver of the car, the convenient design of the car seat ensures complete safety for the baby.

At what age can you drive without a seat and stop worrying about getting a fine?

We previously found out that you can ride without a seat from the age of 7 if you have ISOFIX fastening belts. And from the age of 12, securing the child with seat belts installed in the car.

What happens if there is no seat in the cabin, and the baby rides in your arms or on the seat?

A fine of 3,000 rubles for an ordinary person (father, mother).
A fine of 25,000 per official.
Fine 100,000 rubles per legal entity.

If the car did not have a restraint device, but there was a seat, you can be happy. A 50% discount applies to everyone. But this is unlikely to ease the situation of a legal entity; 50,000 is also not a small amount. The police have every right to stop you and issue you a fine for child neglect. And he will do the right thing.

Let's remember the 2021 law. Children under 7 years old cannot be left alone in an indoor/outdoor cabin. The amount will be a small amount - 500 rubles. In large cities of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg) the cost of an error will be 2500-3000 rubles.

Results:

Children cannot be transported by hand or on motorcycles.
Children under 12 years of age must be secured with seat belts, car seats, bassinets, and restraint devices.
The car seat should be selected individually for the baby, taking into account height, weight, age.
Do not ride children under 12 years old in the back, it is extremely unsafe.

Pay attention to established laws and do not neglect to comply with them. Remember, when you get behind the wheel, not only your life depends on you, but also the lives of your friends, children, and parents. Be calm and attentive, follow the traffic rules.

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At what age can you use an infant seat?

When choosing a car seat, they focus on such an indicator as the group - it is calculated based on the age and weight of the baby.

There are three groups of infant carriers for newborns:

group 0 – age from birth to 6 months, weight up to 10 kg;
group 0+ – age from birth to 1.5 years, weight up to 13 kg;
group 0+/1 universal – age from birth to 4 years, weight up to 18 kg.

Car seats of higher groups are intended for children from 4 to 12 years old.

Ages from 7 to 12 After 12, how long will the car seat continue to be used?

And at this age the rule does not change. The only addition is the front seats. From 7 to 11 years old, the child can be seated forward using restraints. They must correspond to the baby’s parameters, otherwise the effectiveness of the action is lost, and you get an additional nuisance - a fine.

Do not forget that when transporting a small passenger in front in a car seat, you must turn off the airbag. It can injure the face with a strong blow even in a minor accident.

Age 12 years. Hooray, you can put the chair aside for the next baby!

But take your time. Many children feel discriminated against in this regard and really do not want to climb into a chair after 11. But if the height of a young teenager is less than 150 cm, the rule with a chair still applies. Only for version 12, for height above 150, children can be transported simply by securing them using the provided seat belts.

How to choose the right chair?

Baby's growth. It is safer to transport infants in cradles, since the position of the head and spine is fixed. Therefore, cradles are made in standard sizes and can be used for up to 6 months.
Age plays a major role. Car seat up to 6 months, from 6 to 7 - a child car seat, from 7 to 11 a restraint device, if the child is categorically against seats.

Install by size. Can the chair be fixed in the back and everyone will be comfortable? – it’s better to do it this way. This is safer for the child and there will be two more full seats left.
Baby comforts. Pay attention to the quality of workmanship, the strength of the fastening straps and the softness of the base. Poor quality bassinets can harm a child's posture.

Advantages and disadvantages

At what age can you use an infant carrier? Newborns are transported only in a group 0 car seat, in which the child can be in a lying position.

This design is used as a cradle, carrying and rocking chair from birth, and has the following features:

a car seat is placed in the back seat;
attached sideways in the direction of travel of the car (perpendicular to the driver’s seat);
is equipped with internal seat belts, with which you can fasten and securely hold the baby in a horizontal position.

To transport a baby in a car, the use of a multifunctional stroller design as a car seat for newborns is excluded, since its shock-absorbing properties do not meet current safety standards.

A group 0+ car seat, compared to a regular car seat, is considered a safer model and meets the following characteristics:

provides the baby with a semi-lying position at an angle of 30–45 degrees;
has small weight and dimensions;
can be used for a longer period of time;
combines the functions of a car seat and carrying;
easily transforms into a stroller;
equipped with high protection against side and frontal impacts;
ergonomic design eliminates stress on the spine.

To transport children under 1 year of age, the car seat is secured with its back in the direction of travel of the car. With this installation, the child's neck and head will be pressed tightly against the back of the car seat. Therefore, if the car brakes sharply, a child sitting with his back to the driver’s seat will not receive damage.

If the baby is placed facing the direction of travel of the car, then the shock load will be directed to the baby’s chest and abdomen, and the head will make a sharp “nod,” which will unnecessarily load the cervical vertebrae and lead to inevitable injuries.

When installing a car seat in the front seat of a car, you should place your baby comfortably and turn off the front airbag so that in the event of an accident it does not injure the child.

The universal model of group 0+/1, combines the characteristics of both groups and is suitable for large babies from birth. When purchasing such a prototype, savings are possible on intermediate groups of car seats.

Distinctive features of this sample:

adjustable headrest height and seat width;
changing the angle of the backrest;
adjusting belt tension;
the ability to permanently secure the infant seat in the cabin;
cannot be carried like a cradle;
lower safety compared to group 0+.

After the first year of a child’s life, models of group 0+/1 should be installed in the direction of travel of the car.

Rules for transporting children of different age categories

The Decree also stipulates the rules for transporting children of different ages.

Up to 1 year

Babies under one year of age must be transported in a special infant carrier. It is sold both complete with a chair and separately. The design of the device is specially designed taking into account the anatomical and physiological characteristics of babies. Children of this age have poorly developed muscles and skeleton, so sudden braking and strong vibration are extremely dangerous for them.

@Licey-mum.ru

Newborns should be transported in a horizontal position: this way the baby will not damage the skeleton and the cervical spine in particular. If you carry a baby in your arms, any sudden braking causes an increased load on the cervical vertebrae - at this age, the weight of the head is one third of the total body weight, so it is difficult for the child to keep it in a straight position.

In the “lying on their back” position, the load is distributed evenly, so newborns do not strain, and the respiratory organs function fully. In addition, the baby will better tolerate sudden braking.

The only significant disadvantage of the infant carrier is its short service life. Children grow quickly and as they get older, they will need to purchase a new restraint system.

From one to seven years

Transportation of passengers under seven years of age is permitted only in special restraint devices - child car seats. Outwardly, they are very reminiscent of seats for adults, appearing like a smaller version. To securely fix them, all modern cars are equipped with the Isofix system.

Isofix is a fastener consisting of two metal plates welded to the vehicle body and disguised with pads. If they are not visible, then you can find out about the presence of the system and the correct algorithm for installing the car seat by reading the operating instructions.

If the Isofix system is not provided for in the design of the vehicle, the child seat can be secured using a three-point seat belt.

From 7 to 12 years

The legislation clearly stipulates the transportation of children from 7 to 12 years old. However, after the amendments adopted, they are divided depending on the location of the young passenger inside the vehicle:

If a child is transported in the front seat of a car, he must be placed exclusively in a special restraint system equipped with an Isofix fastening system or standard seat belts. Moreover, the airbags must be turned off - if they deploy in a collision with another car, they can seriously injure a small passenger.
If the baby is riding in the back row of seats, he should be seated in a restraint device designed for children of this age category, or secured using standard seat belts. The main thing is to take into account the height and weight of the child. In addition, if necessary, you can additionally use a booster.

@Alterainvest.ru

Car seat or car seat?

The infant carrier can be used from birth until the child reaches 4 years of age. For older children, car seats with a more expanded functional range are available.

Factors in favor of the infant carrier:

creates a natural position for the newborn when his chest is not compressed;
ensures a ride without sudden jolts and with maximum motion sickness effect;
guarantees deep sleep with natural vibrations.

In a car seat, you can transport your baby over long distances without compromising his health.

The disadvantages of this design include:

short period of use (up to six months);
The dimensions of the structure are quite large, so the car seat completely occupies the back seat of the car, leaving practically no space for the passenger;
external fastening is provided only by car seat belts.

The car seat is installed on the front or rear passenger seats and has the following positive characteristics that affect the factors of convenience and strength when moving a child in the car:

quick transformation mechanism - makes it possible in a short time to transform the car seat into a carrier intended for walking on the wheelbase of a stroller, or for transportation by air or other means of transport;
orthopedic base of the car seat – provides a soft and comfortable position;
adjustable height of the backrest, inserts and footrest - creates a comfortable position;
ventilated, water-repellent and hypoallergenic fabric - does not cause discomfort in the child;
3 or 5 point seat belts, with soft pads on children's shoulders - securely fasten and hold the baby;
adjustable handles of modern models - serve for quick removal and subsequent transportation of the cradle;
shockproof frame and polystyrene layer - absorbs the force of a possible impact;
internal seat belt – creates conditions for rigid fixation.

In car seats for newborns, you can transport a child for no more than one and a half hours without interruption.

The safety of the baby when traveling by car is influenced by the quality of the car seat and the presence of special documents from the manufacturer confirming the guarantee of reliability.

What age can you travel with a child?

This may seem strange at first glance, but the younger the child, the easier it is to travel with him. A trip with children under one year old will not bring much trouble. They still sleep a lot, willingly sit in a stroller during excursions, and their weight allows them to use a carrying backpack or sling. All you have to do is learn to adjust to your baby’s feeding and sleep schedule, and you can enjoy the journey. Here are the advantages of sharing a holiday with a young child.

• Even the smallest child, while traveling, acquires a wealth of experience that will allow him to endure long trips more easily in the future.

• Small children do not yet go to kindergarten or school, which means you can plan a trip not only during the generally accepted holidays, when the cost of tickets and tours becomes as high as possible, but at any time convenient for the family.

• A child under 2 years old does not need to buy an air ticket if he or she flies in the arms of one of the parents (you only need to issue a boarding pass), and children under 5 years old can ride the train for free if they do not occupy a separate seat.

• For a mother who is tired of the monotony of caring for a baby in the first years of life, any trip, even a short one, will only be beneficial and will allow her to escape from the home routine.

• When traveling together with children, the problem of “who to leave the child with” does not exist at all, and the baby is not separated from his mother, which is very important for his psycho-emotional development.

What documents are needed to travel with a child? If one of the parents travels with the baby in Russia or abroad, permission, that is, a power of attorney for the child for the trip, is not needed from the other. However, such paper may be required to obtain a visa. We talk about how to prepare documents for children here.

How to choose a car seat

Having chosen the model you like, you need to make sure that the infant carrier or car seat has a certificate of compliance with European quality standards. Appropriate marking means that the car seat is manufactured according to the same parameters that every manufacturer must adhere to when manufacturing a children's car device

Namely:

tension belts are equipped with an adjustment mechanism;
the fastenings are equipped with locks and completely prevent spontaneous unfastening;
minimum strap width 25 mm;
metal parts of the car seat have an anti-corrosion coating;
plastic parts have shockproof properties.

The presence of a safety certificate from the manufacturer confirms that standardization, testing, the necessary crash tests have been carried out, verification of compliance with the proper configuration and the availability of detailed operating instructions for the infant carrier.

As confirmation, models are affixed with official orange stickers with the following mandatory signs:

ECE-R 44 /03 or 04 – unified marking for the certificate of conformity;
car seat type – group number;
child's weight - pounds or kg;
a circle with a capital letter E and a number in the center of the icon is the code of the country in which the car seat was tested for compliance with shock loads;
six-digit number – a unique code assigned to this type of product during testing;
name of the product manufacturer – country of origin.

It is important to match the spaciousness of the car interior and the dimensions of the infant carrier. It would not be amiss to have additional options in car seat models such as protective sun visors and removable covers for subsequent washing.

Used infant carriers lose their functional purpose, as they undergo various deformations during operation, which makes them unsuitable for transporting newborns.

How to properly install and fasten the infant carrier

In the back seat of a car, only car seat belts are used to secure a group 0 infant carrier.

To install group 0+ and 0+/1 car seats in a car, two types of fastening are used - elastic belts that are pulled through special slots in the car seats and the Isofix fixation system.

The Isofix system is a metal base with two guide rails on which a child car seat is installed and permanently mounted. The use of this design prevents the chair from spontaneously moving or tipping over. In the event of an impact, the base platform prevents the child seat from moving forward. The Isofix retractable leg, fixed to the floor of the car, keeps the seat from sliding backwards.

When attaching the system, you should always focus on the green color of the design button, which means that the mount is installed correctly and securely.

Useful video with instructions for attaching a car seat with the Isofix system

The Isofix base is sold complete with a car seat or separately; installation is carried out with special brackets to the passenger seat of the car. When traveling frequently with a baby, using this design saves a lot of time and, compared to fastening with conventional seat belts, increases the protection of the child.

Transportation of newborns

The design of a child car seat can vary greatly. Up to what age each of them should be used will depend on the child’s weight. So, for the little ones there is a cradle that has a completely lying position. This configuration is also recommended for premature or low birth weight babies. In appearance it is similar to the basket that is installed on the stroller. But its sides are hard on the outside and soft on the inside. There are also five-point harnesses equipped with inserts that help secure the baby.

The models are quite large and take up a lot of space. They can only be mounted on the back seat of the car and sideways. Therefore, as an alternative, a carrycot from the following category can be used.

Rating of the best baby carriers for newborns

In the top of the best baby carriers for newborns among the rating of modern models, the brands of the following manufacturers meet the safety requirements, fashionable design and ease of installation:

Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix

It is characterized by high safety, mid-price range, and ease of installation.

Maxi-Cosi Pebble

It has a low cost, 2 types of fastenings, a removable cover and an awning for protection from the sun.

Recaro Privia

Features high quality materials and a higher price; has three fixed handle positions; The cradle has a light weight (up to 4 kg) and is equipped with an Isofix mount.

For Kiddy Lagun + Isofix Base

This is the lightest infant carrier weighing up to 3 kg, in which the headrest is height adjustable and can be used as a rocker.

BeSafe iZi Go Modular

Equipped with an orthopedic pillow, 5-point belts with soft pads, high-strength plastic and high-quality fabric.

Carmate Kurutto NT2 Premium

A Japanese model of a high level of reliability with a convenient rotating mechanism, the ability to change the angle of inclination to a lying position, the Isofix system with a retractable support leg.

Romer Baby Safe Plus

It is used as a carrycot, in which the child can be transported in a semi-lying position, has a fastening, is made of high-quality fabric, has an adjustable headrest and handles, and is equipped with a retractable hood.

Peg Perego Viggio Switchable

Inexpensive Italian brand belonging to group 0+/1; contains an adjustable mechanism that brings the back of the chair to a horizontal position; Possibility of installation in the direction and against the movement of the vehicle.

Concord Reverso Plus

It has a high safety rating according to crash tests and an Isofix fastening system; equipped with inserts for different ages and a removable cover, equipped with an adjustable tilt angle and additional side protection.

Small children should not travel in a car without car seats, so when choosing a model for newborns, you should not skimp on the child’s safety. It is necessary to give preference to models with side impact protection and the Isofix fastening system.

You should choose a car seat design with high-quality textiles and a body made of reliable metal alloys that have passed tests of the highest level, as this is directly related to the baby’s health and its vulnerability in emergency situations.

Author: Irina Kuchinskaya, especially for Mama66.ru

Useful video on how to choose a car seat for a child

Medical edition:

Site experts
Author
Irina Kuchinskaya

Author of the portal Mama66.ru

The site administration does not operate in the field of medical services. Consultations and recommendations are for informational purposes only and do not constitute full medical assistance. Any medical care is provided only in specialized medical institutions. If you have any symptoms, consult a doctor.