Frameless car seat: what is it, is it permissible by the rules and how to choose?

During a trip in the car, the child must be in a special seat, which is either already equipped with seat belts, or allows the child to fasten the seat belts. Today, in addition to massive and heavy car seats, you can find frameless models that are compact and allow you to fix a child without problems. However, some parents look at the soft car seats with caution, not trusting the life of their children of this design.

Not so long ago, as an alternative to classic car seats for children, manufacturers began to offer frameless models of car seats, which quickly became a popular product in the car accessories market. The frameless design of the seat is devoid of rigid elements and is a fabric base, resembling a rug. Special wide straps are sewn to this fabric element for fixation to the car seat. Some models are also equipped with a special loop for a regular car safety belt, which is located in the child's belly.

One of the exciting questions for parents who choose a frameless car seat model for their child is whether there will be further problems with DPS officers and whether it is legal to transport children in such a device.

Guided by the rules for transporting children in cars operating in the Russian Federation, namely clause 22.9 of the Traffic Regulations, any child must sit in a special restraint of the appropriate category until the age of 12 is reached. The classification of children's car seats, in turn, is based on the parameters of height and weight of the child.

GOST R 41.44–2005, which was approved by Order of the Rostekhregulirovaniye No. 318-St dated December 20, 2015, defines the concept “child restraint system (restraint, child restraint systems)” Childless frameless car seat is suitable for this GOST, therefore, it can be used to transport a child and not be afraid to get a fine. The competence of the traffic police officer is only to check the reliability of fixing the device with a seat belt and the compliance of the used chair with the child's parameters.

Because of the ease of use of frameless car seats in some situations, many parents prefer these seats. This design will be an indispensable acquisition for a large family, especially if it has a small car with small dimensions. Installation of frame models of children's car seats for three children in the back seat of a compact car is not possible.

The sizes of models of a child seat without frame are universal. During the period from the birth of a child until he reaches school age, parents are forced to change at least four types of frame car devices for transporting children. Then you can install a booster or a special adapter for a seven year old child. The simple, adjustable soft car seat system allows you to easily carry both a one-year-old child and a 12-year-old in it, provided that its weight does not exceed 36 kg.

The ability to change the length of the restraining seat belt allows the child to feel equally comfortable in both bulky winter clothes and summer clothes.

Since models without a frame can be easily rolled up and taken with you, such seats are an excellent option in some situations. This will not only allow to fix the baby in one place while moving on a strange car, but it does not contradict the traffic rules and does not threaten the driver with a considerable fine.

Since the design of the frameless seat is quite simple, the cost of such devices is much less than the frame specimens. The purchase will be even more profitable if you purchase a car seat during the promotion period.

However, many experts and experienced parents note that in comparison with the frame seat, a soft car seat is not able to provide adequate protection for the child during the trip. According to the results of numerous studies and crash tests, several important points can be attributed to the disadvantages of a frameless design.

• Car seat without a rigid frame gives the child a lot of inconvenience during long journeys: the seat does not allow to relax the body, and it will be very uncomfortable for the child to sleep in it. After a long sitting in such a device, the child's neck and spine get tired, his legs go numb.
• Unlike the frame devices, which in a critical situation partially take up the blow on themselves and provide protection for the baby inside, soft seats do not protect.
• Most of the varieties of car seats available today without a frame complies with the ECE safety standard R44 / 03, which has long been recognized as obsolete. Due to the absence in the structure of rigid elements, the device does not protect the child’s body from the sides and does not provide support to the head.
• Usually The maximum allowable weight of a child who can be transported in a car using a frameless device is 36 kg. However, in the event of a contingency, the impact on the safety straps increases due to a sharp jerk. Therefore, if the weight of the child is close to the upper limit, then it is likely that the seat belts simply will not withstand the load and tear off at the junction of the thread with the base. And the consequence of this will be throwing the child out of the car through the front glass.
• For babies under 18 months is not recommended to use structures without frame. Children of this age should be transported against the movement of the car, and this is due to the physiological characteristics of the small organism. The fact is that in one-year-old children the head is rather large, and the neck is not yet formed. Therefore, in the event of a frontal collision, it is safer for the baby to be with its back to the front glass of the car.

For the manufacture of most models of child seats without a frame used are harmless to the child's body high-quality matter, resistant to moisture. Domestic manufacturers use durable fabric called "Oxford", which is also used for sewing backpacks. Some models are also additionally equipped on the inside with an Air-mesh grid of polyurethane in several layers. As manufacturers say, this addition increases the strength of the device and can withstand a load of up to 300 kg.

To ensure the comfort of the child during the trip, soft models have fillers in the form of holofiber or foam rubber. The quality of the material used in Chinese copies is inferior to Russian fabrics in many respects, especially in matters of connecting seams.

The thickness of the folded chair is no more than 5 cm, and the length and width may be different: 32x39 cm or 25x30 cm, depending on the model.

For long trips on their own car, experts still recommend using a safer and more comfortable for the baby frame models of car seats. But sometimes such situations arise when the presence of a frameless model becomes practically a necessity.

Some car models do not provide for a factory-fitted safety belt for the rear seats or an Isofix system for attaching a hard car seat.

You can, of course, independently equip your car with this simple device, but then it is necessary to coordinate the changes with the traffic police, which will take a lot of time. In such a situation, parents are most often unable to install a standard frame device for transporting a child and are forced to purchase frameless models.

Families with a child who do not have their own car are also sometimes forced to resort to this type of transport. The frameless chair has a compact size and low weight, which makes it easy to take it along with other essentials. In addition, it is quite simple and quick to install, which is also a plus. Such a device would be the way to travel by taxi, in the car of relatives or friends. Some drivers, who work as private cab drivers, also acquire this device so as not to get in trouble with the traffic police officers.

In order not to be nervous in unforeseen situations, when one or both parents cannot immediately take or pick up the child for his business, you should have this simple and quite budgetary chair from other close relatives in the trunk. In case of emergency, the grandfather will be able to deliver the grandchildren to the desired address with comfort and without any problems.

Choosing a soft car seat in the car for your child, any parent wants to buy a quality and safe product. It is best to choose among models of well-known and reputable manufacturers who specialize in the production of items that provide child safety. In addition, before buying should not be deprived of attention to some of the nuances.

• The age of the child. For children who have not yet turned 3 years old, you should choose soft seats with a Y-shaped fastening system of belts. This will protect the baby and his developing body from spinal injuries or bruises in the abdomen.
• The size of the seat and its compliance with the parameters of the child. The overwhelming number of frameless car seats cover several size categories at once, namely from the first to the third. This means that the soft seat is suitable for carrying passengers from 9 to 36 kg. Such a large range in the size category is explained by the fact that the seat belts of these models are easily adjustable in length.

• Before purchasing a car seat model, it is necessary to verify the certificate with the seller. The seat of high quality, which does not bear any danger to the life and health of the child, must have the European certificate ECE R44 / 04. This document is valid since 2009. It is proof that this model has been tested at a vehicle speed of 50 km / h and in a rear collision at a speed of 30 km / h.The certificate contains comprehensive information about the car seat, namely: the model, the method of fastening the seat belts, the maximum possible weight of the child, the code designation of the issuing state certificate and the presence or absence of five-point safety belts, for which the symbol Y is provided.
• When choosing a model suitable for the baby, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of a wide fabric insert in the area of ​​the connection of the belts between the legs of the child. In the absence of this detail, there is a high probability of injury, besides, hard straps can cause considerable discomfort, especially when the child is lightly dressed.

Installing a device for transporting a child in a car without a frame will not cause any particular difficulties from the very first time. Buying a new model of the device in the store, there is no doubt that the instruction manual is available. But even in its absence, fixing a car child seat is not difficult.

First you need to find two long straps on the base of the car seat and thread them into the gap between the backrest and the lower part of the seat, introducing the belt from front to back. Short straps, which should also be two, should be threaded through the upper part of the seat. The strap should be passed between the head restraint and the seat back.

Behind the back of the car seat must be connected to each other short and long car seat straps. This can be done using a special lock in the design of the device. During fixing, you should make sure that the car seat fits snugly to the seat. After securing, you can seat the small passenger in place, while not forgetting to adjust the remaining straps in accordance with the parameters of the child.

To test the protective qualities of the device for transporting children, a so-called crash test is conducted. This test shows how a particular model device will behave in the event of an emergency. For this, the child's dummy is seated in a chair that is secured in the test car. When playing critical situations, such as a sharp turn or braking, tire puncture and head-on collision, the sensors on the dummy transmit the test results to a computer.

One of the most famous car clubs, which annually conducts testing of new models of car seats, is ADAC. For the specialists of the club, the most important criteria are safety, ergonomics, environmental and practical components of the tested device. On the basis of a set of indicators, experts rate adaptation on a five-point scale.

Reviews of parents using a frameless chair say that such a device solves the problem of seating for a child in the absence of their own car. In addition, for an older child, provided an accurate ride around the city, the option of an easy chair is also more attractive and does not require dismantling if an adult needs to sit at this place. However, most parents, if possible, acquire safer and more comfortable chairs with a frame.

In the next video, see the installation process frameless car seats.