Boosters for children in the car: the rules of choice and features of operation

It is known that the car occupies a leading position in the ranking of the most dangerous types of transport. And therefore, special attention has recently been paid to the rules of carriage of children for a reason. But until now, tightening the rules of the road regarding children in the car causes controversial opinions among drivers. Some people naively believe that innovations are a waste and are not in a hurry to acquire car seats for children, arguing that before the children went without additional devices and nothing terrible happened. And others absolutely support the traffic police and do not break the rules when transporting children, because in an unforeseen situation, such a small product as a car seat can save the life of a small passenger.

It is obvious that spending on the purchase of a car seat can not be compared with the life of your crumbs, and the family budget does not become empty from the next purchase.

According to the rules of the road, children under the age of 12 must be transported in a car in special restraints. And if all the drivers know about the car seats and their reliability is beyond doubt, then many parents have some questions about such an accessory as a booster. For example, from what age it can be used and whether they provide absolute security for a small passenger.

Booster is a more lightweight design of the chair. This is a small seat with soft armrests, but without a back it provides the child with a more comfortable position in the standard passenger seat. The booster allows the child to sit comfortably in the car and be wearing a seatbelt without discomfort. And besides, thanks to even a small elevation above the standard passenger seat, the child has the opportunity to look out the window in the same way as adults.

Without additional seating, a regular passenger seat belt is at the level of the face and neck. And since in the car there is no possibility to adjust the belt to the growth of the passenger, it gives the child more discomfort than it provides security. If the belt is located at the level of the neck, it is a great danger. And with the booster, the child sits a little higher than on a regular chair, and is properly fixed with straps.

Booster is not a secondary or optional device for transporting children. It provides safety, with some reservations giving in to a full-fledged car seat, and is not just a minor element for resolving misunderstandings with traffic police officers.

And even if you do not belong to car owners, but often use the services of a taxi, get a simple and easy booster for long trips. This is really a real find for you.

Child seat manufacturers use a variety of materials in their production. The quality of the materials depends on the quality of the product. The booster frame can be made of plastic, metal or extruded foam.

Seats for the transport of children with a metal frame are considered the most reliable and durable, the safety of the child in such a booster will be at the highest level. These models are much more expensive and have more weight. This is perhaps the main disadvantages of this design.

The plastic frame also provides a high degree of protection, but weighs significantly less than metal counterparts, making it an excellent option for active traveling families. But before buying a plastic booster should pay attention to the thickness of the product. Thin plastic can easily break under minimum load.

Models of extruded foam are very popular among parents, who often have to use the services of a taxi. Such models are very light and have an affordable price. On the market such devices are presented in large quantities. But they do not differ in strength and reliability, the protection of a small passenger remains minimal, since the design of the seat can easily break. And such boosters can not be called convenient.

The frame of the device is covered with a soft cloth with lining, which make the seat more comfortable and comfortable for the baby. Therefore, at first glance it may seem that all boosters are practically no different. But they can also have different types of fixings. And in order to properly and safely fix a small passenger in the booster, you must follow the instructions.

If the booster is fixed on the seat with the help of standard belts, install the booster in the rear passenger seat. Seat a small passenger.

The lower belt of a regular seat belt should be stretched so that the lower belt is at the baby’s feet and passes through the booster armrests, and the diagonal tape is fixed to the child to the back of the seat.

This mounting method does not guarantee absolute safety. With a sharp turn, the baby may fall out of the seat. A more reliable way is considered the Isofix system. With this system, the rigidity and reliability of mounting the booster to the car seat is several times higher, because the seat is attached directly to the integral parts of the car. In this case, the standard seat belt is assigned the secondary task of fixation.

To install the booster, it is necessary to insert the guides into the special mounts that are located between the seat and the back of the rear seat. But not all cars have such additional braces. And if your car belongs to this number, then the only option is to fix the booster with regular seat belts.

The rules of the road state that up to 12 years old children should be transported in special restraints, which will ensure safety while driving. And so many parents are interested in the question of how old all restraints are designed for and from how many years you can use a booster to transport children.

All restraints are divided into separate categories:

• For transportation of newborn babies must be used. car potterdesigned for weight up to 10 kg. Such a model can be used from 0 to 6 months.

• Auto carry designed for transporting children up to 13 kg. These devices can be used until the baby is 1.5 years old.

• Car seat - models designed for different height and weight. Such devices can be used from 1 year to 3 years. Weight, which is designed car seats, from 9 to 18 kg, depending on the model.

• Devices for children from 3 to 7 years - they are able to withstand loads from 15 kg to 25 kg.

• Seats for children from 6 to 12 years designed for loads from 22 to 36 kg.

According to the traffic regulations, boosters can be used when the child grows out of the standard full-fledged car seat. According to the manufacturers and traffic police, it can be purchased for children from 3 to 12 years. It is suitable if the weight of the child does not exceed 36 kg, and the height is below 120 cm. And if your baby is still comfortable in the full-fledged car seat, then do not rush to the transition to a lighter version. And besides, if the car seat can be installed both in the rear and in the front passenger seat, then with a booster such freedom of choice is unacceptable.

A small passenger on the booster can only be transported in the backseat of a car.

But children of different ages need to wear seat belts in different ways. So, for example, at the age of 3 to 7 years, the lower and diagonal straps of a regular seat belt should be under the two armrests. And when the weight of a small passenger is 22 kg, then the diagonal seat belt must be removed over the armrest.

The category of restraints does not include homemade pillows and all kinds of linings - they are not able to guarantee the safety of the child in full. Therefore, it is only necessary to purchase car seats and boosters in specialized auto shops or children's supermarkets.

The frame car seat provides greater safety and comfort during a long trip. It provides additional support and protection for the back and head, so in such a car seat the child will more easily tolerate a long move. Some manufacturers for this category also offer seats with backs, and, in fact, these models are standard car seats that can be transformed. But such designs are more suitable for long trips.

Also, if you plan to travel with your child over long distances, then consider models with a cup holder or table. This is an ideal option for fidget. So your baby will be easier to overcome long distances and long trips by car. Some models also have a compact cup holder, which can be hidden in the seat design.

And for parents who do not have their own car, but often travel by public transport or by taxi, a booster backpack is an excellent option. This amazing device combines everything necessary for parents: a comfortable seat for the safe transport of children, a roomy backpack in which you can carry a lot of things for a long walk, and, of course, an orthopedic backrest - the manufacturer took care not only of comfort and safety, but also about health.

And what is important, the booster backpack has all the necessary European quality and safety certificates, and the design itself is lightweight, so that even a child can carry an empty backpack on its shoulders.

One more advanced novelty appeared not so long ago on the market - the folding booster. It has a large number of advantages compared with conventional models. The small weight and compactness of the assembled form allow you to carry the booster in a backpack, with it it will be easier to comfortably and safely place three children in the backseat. Older children will not feel more like a child with such a device. Folding booster is allowed to be used for transporting children aged 4 to 12 years. The traffic police will not have any questions about this device.

Of course, you can use when traveling and inflatable models. When folded, such a booster will easily fit even in a bag with children's things. Their safety indicators are undoubtedly inferior to frame models, but still, inflatable devices have their advantages:

• compactness and low weight;
• opportunity to take with you;
• small price

Like any product for transporting children in the car, boosters have advantages and disadvantages. The indisputable advantages include the following characteristics:

• the optimal price-quality ratio - undoubtedly, boosters can yield to some models of high-grade car seats in terms of safety, but they are still much cheaper than their counterparts;
• booster can be used during short trips around the city;
• compact size - these devices do not take up much space in the trunk of a car;
• low weight is also an advantage of all models;
• simple installation - the booster can be attached to the car's seat by the Izofix system or with the help of standard seat belts;
• the child is unrestricted in movement - the seats for transporting children do not have additional angles that can hold him down;
• suitable for small cars;
• booster can take with you if you need to take a taxi.

Externally, the booster does not look like a car seat for small children, so it will make your little passenger feel older, which every child, of course, dreams of.

But the design is not without flaws:

• undoubtedly, in terms of reliability, the booster gives way to a full-fledged car seat;
• the child is not protected from side impact;
• since at the expense of the booster the child rises a few centimeters above the level of the car’s seat, there is a risk of hitting your head against the side window, and not against the door trim.

On Internet forums, parents leave various reviews about these devices. Some are happy with the purchase and recommend it to their friends, while other parents prefer exceptionally large frame car seats. But if it is important for you that the device for transporting children is compact or portable in your opinion, then the booster will be indispensable for your family.

The main points to consider when buying a booster:

• The method of mounting the booster to the car seat. Manufacturers are divided into two methods of attachment: standard seat belts or system Isofix. The latter is a more reliable and safe option to install the seat.

• What made the seat frame: from metal, plastic or extruded foam. The type of design depends on the level of safety and cost of the product.

• The material from which the device is made - give preference to breathable fabrics, so that on a hot summer day the little passenger will not sit comfortably. The ideal booster consists of four components: metal frame, plastic, softening material, interchangeable skin.

• Comfort and convenience - The baby should be comfortable sitting on it for a long time.

• The booster must have a certificate confirming that this model can be used to transport small passengers.

When choosing a suitable model, you need to focus on the height, weight and age of the baby. And to make the right choice, it is better to take the baby with you. Then you can choose a more comfortable and comfortable seat for the small passenger in width, length and height. In the relaxed position of the child's hand should be on the armrest, and during movement the booster should remain stationary and not slip on the surface of the seat.

The width of the seat should not be narrow or too wide. Do not forget that you will use the seat for a long time. Your baby should be comfortable to ride in the car, not only in summer but also in winter in a voluminous down jacket.

Frameless chairs do not meet all safety requirements and do not provide a comfortable ride for your baby.Some drivers often use a frameless chair with fest - this is a device that allows you to adjust the seat belt to the growth of the child so that he presses the baby on the back of the chair not at the neck, but in the abdomen and chest. Also, some manufacturers have improved the design - supplemented the seats with additional belts, which also pull the diagonal belt of the seat belt away from the face and neck of the baby. Such an extra belt is located over the shoulder of the young passenger.

But as the tests show, there is no reason to use fest and additional loops. Since the fest still does not allow the child to fix at the level of the thighs, the baby may dive in a collision, which, in turn, may lead to abdominal injuries, and the additional belt may break during an accident. Therefore, as the crash test showed, fest and additional loop do not provide absolute security and complete protection of the baby, but can only be useful if the seat belt rubs the neck or face of a small passenger.

A seat for transporting children in a car is an obligatory attribute of a parent's car according to the rules of the traffic police. Boosters fall into this category and are allowed for use in 2018.

According to the rules of the road, small passengers are allowed to carry only in a special seat, which is installed in the passenger seat in the back or front seat in the direction of travel. Still, the most reliable place to install a child seat is considered to be a seat behind the driver.

If you do decide to install a child seat in front of the driver, you must disable the airbag. With a sharp braking or a slight impact on the car, it may work, which will lead to injuries to the baby.

The seat must be cleaned more often than the car interior. If your model of the booster has additional replaceable covers, then problems with cleaning will not arise. And if the fabric is not removed, then you can freshen it up at home by yourself with special tools for cleaning upholstered furniture or turn to a car wash.

For information on what a booster is and how to install it correctly, see the following video.