Buying a car seat? 5 important things to consider

There is a lot to think about when you have just become parents. And one of the first, and most important, things is to make sure that the newborn baby rides safely in the car. The same thing, of course, also applies when the child grows and gets bigger. Having a car seat that fits both the car and the child is important so that safety is not compromised - and that the child sits comfortably.

Which car seat is right for my child?

It is actually not easy to know which car seat to buy. There are many makes and models to choose from, and the child requires different types of car seat depending on how old she or he is. There are three different types of car seats:

• Baby protection: From 0 to about 9 months.

• Rear-facing child seat: From 9 months to about 4-5 years. (About 25 kg or 125 cm.)

• Booster seat/belt cushions: Up to 12 years.

Baby protection

The baby seat is a rear-facing car seat for the very smallest and is suitable for use until the child is about 9 months old. You fasten it using the car's own belt and the child itself is fastened with a five-point belt in the baby seat. A baby seat should not be leaned against anything, e.g. dashboard.

Rear-facing child car seat

The rear-facing car seat is for children up to approximately 4-5 years of age. If the child has not grown out of the car seat, you can continue to use it with advantage. The longer the child sits facing backwards, the better – a small child's head is very heavy in relation to the child's size and the muscles in the neck are not yet developed to be able to withstand even a strong braking.

Even a rear-facing child seat can be fitted with the car's own seat belt. Nowadays, many cars are also equipped with Isofix mounts, which simplifies installation and prevents it from being installed incorrectly.

Forward-facing car seat

When the child is old enough, they can sit in a forward-facing car seat. Some car seats can be used both rear-facing and forward-facing, but they tend to be a bit clumsy, and aren't really optimal for either direction.

Belt cushions

In addition to forward-facing child car seats, the child can also sit forward-facing on belt cushions or booster seats. In it, the child can sit from the age of about 5 to the age of 12, and it is only now that you should put the child forward-facing.

Belt cushions are available both with and without backrest. Some models hold both child and seat using the seat belt, while other seat cushions have Isofix mounts, and the seat belt is there only for the child's safety.

Regardless of the type of chair you are going to buy, there are several things you have to think about. Here we list some of the most important points.

5 important things to consider when buying a child car seat

There are of course more than 5 things to consider when buying a child car seat. Here, however, we concentrate on what you should keep in mind when it comes to the car itself. But apart from that, you should know that the car seat should be approved according to ECE R44 or UN R 129. Ideally, it should also be plus tested.

1. Will the car seat fit in my car?

2. Let the child test drive your car.

3. Should the child sit in the front or back?

4. Car seat with Isofix.

5. Buy used?

1. Will the car seat fit in my car?

It is not a good idea to just buy a car seat and carry it home, without knowing if it can actually be installed in the car. Not all car seats work in all cars.

Therefore, you should always try to fit the child car seat in the car in which it will sit. Feel free to ask the store staff for help - they know how to insert the car seat correctly. Investigations have shown that too many child car seats are incorrectly fitted, and thus almost dangerous to sit in.

We at Kvdbil have test fitted a child car seat in three different car models: hatchback, station wagon and SUV. In the test, it turned out that the combination offers the best space for the car seat, while there is a little less space in an SUV. But even though it's the least space in a hatchback, it went really well, and there was plenty of legroom in the front seat with a car seat fitted in the back seat.

You should still always try the child car seat in your own car. The space differs between different brands and models and it is not possible to say in advance that a certain chair will fit. In addition, a car can actually be too big - there are cars, especially minibuses, where the distance to the backrest of the passenger seat is too far to be able to lean the child seat against it. So only chairs that are approved to be assembled without support, or that have support legs, work there.

2. Let the child try it out before you decide

The car seat must not only be able to fit in the car. You certainly don't want your child to sit uncomfortably, and perhaps have too little leg room. In a rear-facing car seat, your child will sit right up to the age of 4-5, so it is important that there is plenty of room even then.

3. Should the child sit in the front or back?

Whether your car seat is to be mounted in the front or back of the car has no significance for safety. Often the child sits more comfortably in the front and if you are alone in the car, it is a little easier to put the pacifier back when the child spits it out - you also have better supervision of the child.

It is also extremely important that the child sits rear-facing for as long as possible, preferably until the age of 5. A child's head is very heavy in relation to its body weight and cannot withstand very large stresses in a crash or even in the event of heavy braking.

ATTENTION! If the child is in the front seat, your airbag must be deactivated. In the event of a crash, the airbag poses a life-threatening hazard.

4. Car seat with Isofix mounts

If your car is equipped with Isofix mounts, it is easier to install the child car seat in a stable and safe way. The chair also sits firmly in place even when no one is sitting in it. A prerequisite is, of course, that the car seat is also prepared for Isofix.

The only disadvantage of Isofix is that it is only approved for children up to 18 kg. There are car seats with a different fastening method where the child can sit up to 25 kg.

5. Is it a good idea to buy used?

It can certainly be good to buy a used car seat. However, we recommend that you only buy from someone you know and that you know the history of the chair. If it has been involved in a crash, it must be discarded.

In addition, it should not be older than 4-5 years old. The plastic in the chair ages and becomes porous over the years, and its lifespan is expected to be approximately 10 years. Therefore, the chair should not be older than 5 years, considering that you want to be able to use it for your child until it is no longer needed.