What is better a booster seat or a car seat for a child? frameless car seat or triangle?

Can I transport my child in a booster seat - quick test

1. What is the age range of your child?

Less than 7 years 7-11 years 12 or more years

2. Does the booster have one of the following markings on the body or a corresponding certificate in the form of a document: “UNECE No. 44-04”, “GOST R 41.44-2005” or “ECE R44/04”

Not really

2. Does the booster have one of the following markings on the body or a corresponding certificate in the form of a document: “UNECE No. 44-04”, “GOST R 41.44-2005” or “ECE R44/04”

Not really

You can transport your child simply by fastening him with a standard seat belt. But if the top strap of the seat belt goes over the child's neck, it is recommended to place him in a booster seat or child car seat. Go through again

You can transport your child simply by fastening him with a standard seat belt, only in the back seat of the car. But if the top strap of the seat belt goes over the child's neck, it is recommended to place him in a booster seat or child car seat. Can be transported in the front seat in your certified booster seat. Go through again

You can only transport your child in a booster seat or child car seat that meets the above requirements. Go through again

You need another booster certified according to the specified Rules. Your current booster is unsafe and you may get a fine if you use it. Go through again

You can transport your child simply by fastening him with a standard seat belt, only in the back seat of the car. But if the top strap of the seat belt goes over the child's neck, it is recommended to place him in a booster seat or child car seat. You cannot carry a child in the front seat, as this can only be done in a certified booster or car seat, but your current booster is not certified, is unsafe and you can get a fine if you use it. Go through again

You need to choose the right booster

Before you buy a jump starter, you need to study what voltage your battery produces.

Most often this is 12 Volts, but if you need a booster to start the engine of a truck, note that in many tractor-trailers the battery produces a voltage of 24 Volts. Accordingly, another device is needed, capable of delivering increased current.

The parameter that is most significant is the starting current. Each battery has its own indicator; you need to study the model installed in yours. Typically, the necessary data is printed on the device’s body, so there is nothing difficult in finding out the indicators. In addition, the starting current may vary depending on the conditions in which the vehicle is operated. For example, if it is frosty outside, the current power often drops, since low temperatures negatively affect the characteristics of the power unit.

After this, they begin to select a starting device of the required volume. It depends not only on how much capacity you need to charge the battery, but also on how often you plan to use the booster. If you need it for a passenger car, it will be more convenient to use a compact, portable model that is easy to take with you. However, the charge in it will not be very large. For an SUV or tractor, it is recommended to use a more powerful device, which can be useful several times in a row. If you have no goal of saving, you need to buy the most powerful car booster to start the engine.

What do the 2021 traffic rules say?

The last time the Rules were adjusted regarding the issue of transporting children and boosters, in particular, was in July 2021. And then clause 22.9, which regulates the rules of transportation, became even more confusing. There is no specific mention of any device:

no child seat
no booster in the context of the child’s age,
nor any kind of adapters or other devices.

There are only two common vague terms:

child restraint,
child restraint system.

At the same time, it is not said whether these are the same thing or different devices for transporting children.

22.9. Transportation of children under the age of 7 years in a car and truck cab, which are designed with seat belts or seat belts and an Isofix child restraint system, must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child.
The name of the ISOFIX child restraint system is given in accordance with the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR RS 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles”.
Transportation of children aged 7 to 11 years (inclusive) in a passenger car and truck cab, which are designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system, must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child , or using seat belts, and in the front seat of a car - only with the use of child restraint systems (devices) corresponding to the weight and height of the child. The installation of child restraint systems (devices) in a passenger car and the cabin of a truck and the placement of children in them must be carried out in accordance with the operating instructions for the specified systems (devices).
It is prohibited to transport children under the age of 12 on the back seat of a motorcycle.

So, we see that there is a gradation according to the child’s age and rules for transportation in the back and front seat of a car:

up to 7 years - both in front and behind only using child restraints,
from 7 to 11 years old - only with child restraints in front, can be fastened with a seat belt in the back,
From 12 years old you can wear a seat belt.

Features of different designs

Before attaching car boosters to your car, you should take into account that such products come in different categories. The main criteria that determine the differences are the baby’s weight and height:

Group 0+. Such options are intended for transporting infants and children weighing no more than 12 kg. The device is equipped with two mounting systems, as well as additional supports.
Group 1. Such boosters are used for children under 5 years of age if their weight does not exceed 20 kg.
Universal group. This type of chair is used for children of different age groups, so it is purchased for long-term use. This is due to the presence of various adjustments that allow you to comfortably accommodate children of different heights and weights.
Group 2–3. These products are used for transporting children weighing up to 40 kg.

Can a booster be used at what age of a child?

Let's return to our main question about the possibility of placing a child in a booster seat - at what age can this be done according to traffic rules in 2021? To answer, we need to understand what a booster is by law. And the Rules refer us to the Technical Regulations.

Looking at the latter, we understand that the child restraint system must comply with UNECE Regulations No. 44-04 (Appendix No. 10 - “List of requirements for types of vehicle components”). If your booster meets these requirements, then you can transport your child in the booster.

Finding out about such compliance is quite simple: there should be a corresponding marking on the label on the booster itself. In this case, 2 options for representing the notation are possible:

Russian-made boosters are, as a rule, marked “UNECE No. 44-04” or “GOST R 41.44-2005” (the latter GOST is the Russian version of the UNECE Rules),
Imported boosters are most often marked as “ECE R44/04” - this also means that the device meets the requirements of the Economic Commission for Europe.

Boosters with this marking can transport children of any age. In very rare cases, boosters may not have any markings on the case at all, but only in the documents. In this case (and in general always), when purchasing, you should request a certificate of compliance with the above rules. Otherwise, you may be legally fined.

Expert opinion

Yuri Panchenko

Driving instructor, human rights activist, author of books. 10 years of experience.

As correctly stated in the article, the requirements for child restraints are regulated by UN Regulation No. 44-04.

GOST R 41.44-2005 has lost force since 01/01/2018, but if the child seat indicates the date of manufacture before the specified date, and there is a plate of compliance with GOST R 41.44-2005, then there should be no claims from the traffic police.

The use of boosters is governed only by UN Regulation No. 44-04. They must also have a conformity label. Moreover, the booster must be manufactured after 02/09/2017, when the relevant amendments entered into force. This device is used for children with a height of 125 to 150 cm and a weight of 22 to 36 kg.

If a child is taller than 150 cm or weighs more than 36 kg, then there are no child restraints for him. Then we fasten the child with a regular standard seat belt in the back seat.

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The main characteristics of a passenger

Reputable sellers, even in online stores for child restraints, indicate the height, weight and age group for child restraints - from 0 months to 12 years. This brings us to the second important recommendation - the age and weight of the child.

However, children do not lend themselves to strict classification and do not have the same parameters even if they have the same initial data. Two classmates of the same year of birth can be of different heights, different weights and completely different builds, which means it is also necessary to take into account height and weight, as recommended by traffic rules and the Technical Regulations of the EAEU Customs Union.

The car seat of the maximum possible group “3” is designed for a teenager no more than 135 cm tall and weighing no more than 36 kilograms. But what to do if you are not yet old, but your height or weight already makes it difficult to fit in a car seat? Or, conversely, the child is already over 12 years old, but has not yet reached the height of an adult belt? This is where the second device, the booster, comes to the driver’s aid.

With proper selection and proper use, the booster is quite reliable. Photo: depositphotos.com

There is an opinion that this device is imperfect and unsafe, but Russian and foreign experts do not agree with this. In their opinion, with proper selection and proper operation, the booster is quite reliable.

— A booster is in no way a replacement for a car seat. But it is a normal child restraint for children of the oldest age category, the so-called “3 groups” with a height of 125 cm. We conducted crash tests of such devices and I can say - a normally made booster, with “ears” (side protection elements - editor's note) made from high-quality materials works great together with an adult seat belt,” notes Denis Zagarin, head of the testing center of the NAMI state scientific center.

As manufacturers note, a booster is also a modification of a car seat that does not have a full-fledged rigid backrest and head protection. The purpose of this device is to provide the child with a comfortable fit and correct position when using a standard seat belt. A child's body is constantly growing, and it can do so very unevenly. In adolescence, disproportionate development of the limbs, excessive thinness or fullness are possible. All this can prevent you from comfortably using only a seat belt, which is still designed for an adult.

To check that your child is seated correctly, expert chief trainer Vladimir Bakharev recommends paying attention to the following factors - the standard shoulder belt of the car should pass through the center of the chest and shoulders, and not along the neck of the young passenger. The lap belt should be low and go around your upper thighs, not your stomach. If the belt rests on your neck or puts pressure on your stomach, you cannot use it.

“In the case when the child has outgrown the car seat, his shoulders are higher than the upper slots for the belt, his ears are at the level of the upper edge of the seat back, and his height allows him to lean against the back with his feet on the floor, it is necessary to switch to a booster seat,” emphasizes the head trainer.

We recommend that parents look for high-support booster seats with deep protective side bolsters, head support and seat belt guides to provide the best protection for their children.

At what age can you travel without a booster?

The answer to this question is already clearly given to us by the 2021 traffic regulations:

if the child is under 7 years old, then he can only be transported in a child booster seat or seat (in compliance with the latest UNECE rules No. 44-04),
from 7 to 11 years old, children can be transported without boosters at all in the rear seats, and only in a booster or child seat in the front seat,
From the age of 12, a child can ride, fastened only with a standard seat belt, in any seat.

You can, but you don't need to!

It should be borne in mind, however, as we have already mentioned above, that no fine can logically take precedence over the safety of children. And it’s not for nothing that the traffic rules mention the compliance of a child restraint system with the child’s height and weight.

The fact is that for many children over 7 years old, when they can be transported without a booster according to the Rules, the standard belt (top strap) runs exactly along the neck. This should not be allowed, since in an accident the risk of fatal injury is even higher than if the child were driving unbelted. To confirm this, you can watch the very first crash test video of the dummy below.

Therefore, the issue must be approached strictly individually - most often it is still recommended to use a booster seat or a child seat, regardless of how old the child is and whether this is in compliance with the traffic rules.

Also, if the Rules allow you to transport a child without a booster, but you use it for safety reasons, then the booster’s compliance with the rules is no longer critical for compliance with the law (but they still mean that the booster has passed the necessary tests and is safe for your child).

Something else useful for you:

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Is there a fine for driving on summer tires in winter and winter tires in summer today? What date will it start?
Traffic regulations about passing a stationary car on a continuous road: what is the fine and is it possible to cross?

How to choose a booster seat for children in the car

To choose the right booster seat for children in your car, you need to:

Take the future owner of the device with you. Let the child sit in it with the seat belt fastened. This makes it easier to make sure that the child’s booster is comfortable for him, fits in size, the strap will go over the shoulder, and be located on the chest, and not on the neck or face. Make sure that the device is firmly fixed to the car seat

When transporting children in a car, it is important that it does not fall off along with the passenger in an accident. Choose a booster seat for your child with sufficiently high armrests and a thick seat. This is important for the safe use of the belt, which during sudden braking, especially an impact, can cut into the neck. Forget about savings, that is, consider devices from a safety point of view

Boosters on a metal base or plastic meet this criterion. Foam plastic ones play a purely decorative role in the interior, helping to avoid a fine from the traffic police inspector.

What is the penalty for incorrect transportation in a booster?

The fine for violations of the rules for transporting children for 2021 is general - it is 3,000 rubles under Part 3 of Article 12.23 of the Administrative Code. It will be issued to you if:

You are transporting a child under 7 years of age in a vehicle without a booster seat or any other approved child restraint device,
You are transporting a child from 7 to 11 years old in the front seat without these same devices,
You are transporting an unbelted child over 12 years old,
the child is sitting in the booster seat, but is not fastened or the booster itself is not fastened (in cases where this is provided for by the design of the booster itself).

This fine can be paid with a 50% discount during the first 20 days after the decision is issued (and later in some cases). The cameras do not record this traffic violation, and evacuation to the impound lot is not provided.

The peculiarity of this fine lies in two important subtleties:

it can be prescribed every time the car starts moving (even by the same inspector), no days for elimination,
If you are transporting 2 or more children without a booster or with other violations of the transportation rules, then only one fine should be assigned per stop, since the very fact of violating the transportation rules is punished specifically.

Expert opinion

Dmitry Tikovenko

Automotive law expert. 7 years of experience. Areas of specialization: civil law, disputes over compulsory motor liability insurance and road accidents

This article will be of interest not only to young mothers and fathers, but also to those who transport children for official reasons. We are talking about taxi drivers.

If you violate the rules for transporting children when providing transportation services in a taxi, then the driver will not get away with simply fines from the Administrative Code. This act can already be qualified as the provision of services that do not meet safety requirements, which means that the driver will be held accountable under another article and even under another code - criminal. In the code, this is Article 238, and the punishment here can be either a fine or imprisonment.

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About FEST adapters

While discussing the booster, we should also mention various types of adapters for children, the most common of which is FEST. And it has recently been banned for use on the territory of the Russian Federation. The ban was established by Rosstandart as not complying with the same EEC rules, although FEST formally assures that their adapters still meet these requirements.

Meanwhile, various tests of FESTs have long shown their danger in road accidents - mainly the traumatic effect on the child’s abdominal cavity.