According to foreign studies, up to 90% of car seats are installed incorrectly. In other words, nine out of ten children will not be adequately safe in the event of an accident. There may be a lot of reasons - unwillingness to delve into the operating instructions for the device, misunderstanding of the importance of observing it, inaccurate, inadequate or incomprehensible instructions (mainly, this applies to cheap chairs), or the banal carelessness of parents. Dads can simply make a mistake during the installation process, confusing belts or inattentively studying the instructions. They can deliberately "simplify" the installation procedure or "compromise" so that, for example, they do not wake up their sleeping child. Such actions or omissions can result in serious injury to the child in the event of an accident or even death.
The car seat must be installed in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, even if it seems redundant to you. The manufacturers of these devices are conducting numerous studies with the understandable goal of making the car seat as safe as possible. There are no extra parts in the seat attachment mechanism.
A rearward facing child car seat is strictly prohibited to be installed in the front passenger seat of the vehicle if it has an airbag. In some cars, the pillow can be turned off, but this option, unfortunately, is not often present. It is also not recommended by specialists to install a car seat located in the direction of travel in such a place. The pillow unfolds with great force and the child can easily injure. An adult passenger, when it is triggered, as a rule, gets off with only a fright.
It is advisable to install the chair in the back seat - it is safer there than in the front. The safest place in the car is in the middle of the rear seat (provided that there is a three-point belt there).
It is advisable to fasten the car seat with three-point belts, even if the instructions allow for waist (two-point) belts. The more stable the chair is, the more safety it will provide for the child.
The child car seat must be very tightly secured. The movement of the fastened device when rocking from side to side is usually limited to a few centimeters.
After installing the car seat, you need to carefully check the reliability of its attachment. Devices installed against the direction of travel should be grasped by the top and tried to lower it down. In this case, the backrest should not change its angle of inclination. It's okay if the seat is in contact with the back of the car seat.
When installing a category 0+ car seat, be careful not to place the lap belt in place of the diagonal one and vice versa, as this is fraught with dire consequences in the event of an accident.
Sometimes in a car, in order to properly fasten the seat, there is not enough belt length, and parents use only the lap part of the belt, considering it sufficient. You can't do that. To solve the problem, you should go to a car service and replace the seat belts with longer ones. It is also forbidden to press the seat with the back of the front seat, since in an accident it may not withstand the load, which is unlikely to benefit the little passenger.
When installing the car seat, pay attention to the mating part of the seat belt - its buckle should not come into contact with parts of the device. Otherwise, overloads in an accident may cause the vehicle belt to unfasten.
The inner straps of the seat must be tightly tightened (the gap between it and the child's body is usually less than two fingers).
If the design provides for the use of a "chest clip", then it should be located not lower than the level of the child's armpits.
In the rearward facing position, the seat belts (category 0 + / 1) should start slightly below the shoulder level of the child. His head should not be above the edge of the chair.
Most mums, instead of carrying, start picking up a new car seat for their child as soon as their feet rest against the back of the front seat. However, baby's legs bent in carrying does not mean that the device has become cramped. A child can involuntarily fold them into a "frog" and this is an absolutely normal position for children under the age of 1 year.
The child in the carrying chair should be at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal, that is, reclining.
For long journeys, every 1.5-2 hours, you should take twenty-minute breaks, taking the child out of the chair.
In category 1, 1/2, 1/2/3 car seats, the inner belts (if any) must start above the level of the child's shoulder. Its head can stick out above the edge of the device, but not more than a third.
In category 2/3 seats and in category 1/2, 1/2/3 combination seats, the car belt must cross the middle of the child's shoulder, and the height of the rail must be adjusted so that the belt is not too low (may slip off the shoulder) and too high (in case of a jerk it may be on the neck).
A chair in which your child is fastened only with a car belt is forbidden to give an almost horizontal position: a child can easily slide under it, which is very dangerous in a traffic accident.
The fastening of restraints to the vehicle seat in most cases is carried out using standard seat belts or using a special "Isofix" fastener, which is used for devices of category 0 and 1. There are options where an additional platform mounted under the car seat or infant car seat.
The Isofix mount has special brackets in the area of the lower platform of the child restraint. With their help, it is attached to the two lugs on the car seat. Depending on the manufacturer, the 3rd attachment point is provided with an adjustable support or an additional strap, which is fixed to the back of the rear seat of the vehicle. Such an attachment protects the car seat from accidental overturning, but is possible only in cars where such devices are present.
Almost all restraints, regardless of weight and age group, are secured with three-point seat belts. Sometimes they are not long enough or the shape of the car seats does not match the type of seat. That is why it is recommended to check them for compatibility before purchasing. Ask the store to install a car seat in your car and only then make a purchase.
Most manufacturers of car seats for children unanimously declare that their device does not absorb dirt. It is very difficult to believe that the upholstery does not even allow moisture to pass through, and that dust never settles on car seats at all. However, after several weeks of using the baby's "workplace", the parents are convinced of the absurdity of these assurances.
Even if your child does not eat on the road, smears chocolate or spills juice on the seat, dust, lint from clothes, skin particles and other unpleasant things will naturally end up on the device. In principle, it is advisable to even clean a completely new car seat, because dust and dirt will accumulate from it no less than from the operated one.
From some car seats, covers are asked to be put into the washing machine. Nevertheless, there is no need to rush - it will have a detrimental effect on the appearance of the device.It will definitely lose its original shape, shrink and may even fade slightly. It is recommended to dry-clean the car seat either separately or together with the vehicle. However, what if you use the chair on a daily basis and are unable to part with it even for a short period of time? In this case, it is better to clean it yourself at a convenient time and on condition that you have some kind of super-unit, like a KIRBY vacuum cleaner, or better with a whole washing system.
In conclusion, I repeat that when installing a new child car seat, take 15 minutes to study the instructions and do not neglect, in your opinion, "unnecessary" straps, belts, openings and latches.
