Have you ever become confused by all the jargon when researching all the different car seats and their features that you need to properly protect your little one on the road?  We know that the wealth of information out there can be a lot to take in and decipher, so we have detailed below the salient facts to be aware of when considering one of the most important purchases you will ever make as a parent.

Now, the safety features of children’s car seats continue to evolve as more crash tests and studies are done that promote innovations to enhance their safety. According to best practise today, car seats are required to come with several standard features to live up to safety regulations, such as:

• ISOFIX System

The international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. Simply put, it works by using a built-in strap with hooks on the child's safety seat which attach to anchors in the car.  If your car is not Isofix compatible, never fear, as you will still be able to install your car seat using the seat belt installation method, which is a universally accepted method for installing car seats into any car.

• 5-Point Harness 

A foundation of car seat safety, the harness makes five points of contact: shoulders (2), hips (2), and between the legs (1). This system distributes the force of a crash better across a child’s body compared to a regular seat belt with three points of contact. The 5-point harness protects the fragile parts of a child, holding them securely in the safest position, and is adjustable to adapt as they grow for maximum protection.

• Shock Absorbing Material 

Car seat materials ensure infants and toddlers are positioned correctly and protected in a crash.  The plastic, metal and padding included in the seats absorb most of the force of a crash, distributing it over a wide area of the child’s body and so reducing the amount of stress on any single part of the body. 

Infants need more support because they aren’t strong enough to hold their heads up independently. At one year old, a child’s head is 25 percent of its body weight, whereas an adult’s head makes up about 6 percent of their body weight.

• Anti-Rebound Bar 

In many types of car crash, the initial impact throws passengers and objects forward, then there’s a bounce-back effect that can be dangerous. Anti-rebound bars are positioned at the foot of rear-facing car seats for extra stability. They reduce the rebounding action in a crash that causes additional movement, which may injure your child. The bar provides a strong anchor and extra absorption of the force of a collision. 

• Side Impact Protection 

There are materials used to make a car seat safer in the event of a side collision (or T-bone crash), such as energy-absorbing foam and padding (expanded polystyrene EPS or expanded polypropylene foam EPP). Side impact protection features come out and around the body, supporting the child’s head, shoulders, and chest. 

• Load Leg

This car seat safety feature can be found more often on infant carrier bases, and also on some convertible seats. A load leg gives the car seat extra support from forward movement by extending a leg from the car seat base to the vehicle floor. It adds stabilization and reduces the transfer of crash energy the child receives.

The safety features of a car seat are, of course, essential, but improper use of them reduces their effectiveness. Choosing the right seat for your child is essential, and is a subject we will cover separately.  Proper installation is also essential – refer to the instruction manual for information on specific car seat safety features, standards like the maximum weight and height, and directions for installation. The advantage of this over a basic internet search is the information comes from the manufacturer, who knows the best ways to use the car seat safely. 

As this is such an important part of the process, Babyshop offers free installation of all car seats purchased from us by our highly trained team, so you can rest assured it has been done to the highest standard.

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