Child car seat - Christina Cherry

Child car seat guide: how to choose the right product

In Germany, children up to the age of 12, or up to 1.50 meters tall, are only allowed to ride in a suitable child seat.
Infants up to 15 months old are safest in a rear-facing infant car seat.
Currently, a full three safety standards apply in parallel.
The latest standard is i-size and will apply exclusively in a few years.
Child seats with the ISOFIX system are particularly easy and safe to install in the vehicle.

Safe on the road in the car

Crashes are becoming more frequent on german roads. According to the federal statistical office, the number of traffic accidents recorded by the police has increased over the last ten years: from just under 2.3 million in 2008 to around 2.6 million in 2018. This makes suitable protective measures all the more important. Seat belts have been compulsory for adults in germany since 1976. However, children, and especially babies, are too small for a safety belt to protect them adequately. You need a suitable child car seat that will protect you from damage in the event of a head-on or side impact. Since 1993, child restraints have been compulsory in addition to seat belts, meaning that children up to the age of 12, or 1.50 meters tall, may only ride in a vehicle with a suitable restraint system.

How important a good quality child seat is and why it is never save at the wrong end the following video from stiftung warentest shows how important good quality child seats are, based on crash tests with cheap child seats:

Three standards, great confusion

Currently, three safety standards apply to child car seats in parallel. This is very confusing and unsettling for consumers. The oldest of the three standards, the UN ECE reg. 44/03, has been in force since 1995. It divides child seats into defined weight classes and specifies the age at which a child may sit facing the direction of travel. This standard has been regulated by the UN ECE since 2005. 44/04 supplemented. The third and newest standard is the UN ECE reg. 129, or i-size for short. It no longer classifies child seats according to weight, but according to the size of the child, and also prescribes side impact tests. I-size came into force gradually in three phases: in 2012, 2017 and 2019. each of the three phases concerned a specific child seat group and recombined the old child seat classes. in the future, i-size will replace the two old standards and will apply exclusively to. However, since all three standards are currently still valid in parallel, we will explain their content in detail below in order to provide consumers with a precise overview of the market.

Classification by age, weight class and size

Hardly any child seat is ideally suited for children of any age, weight and size. To minimize the risk of parents selecting an unsuitable seat and thus endangering the safety of their child, there are testing standards according to which manufacturers group their models.

The older standards ECE R44/03 and R44/04 divide child car seats into five age and weight classes: 0, 0+, I, II and III. In addition, there are so-called child seats that grow with the child, which can be used over a longer period of time, in sizes 0+/I, I/II, II/III and I/II/III. According to the newer i-size standard, child seats are divided into three phases according to the size of the child.

Classes 0 and 0+

Class 0 child car seats are suitable for newborns up to a weight of 10 kilograms. the ECE standard recommends an age limit of around one year. 0+ child seats can be used for a slightly longer time, namely from birth up to a weight of 13 kilograms or one and a half years. Child car seats of both classes are so-called infant car seats. They are built so that the baby inside a curved reclining position instead of sitting. This is important because infants are not yet able to sit independently; a forced sitting posture damages the growing back and can later lead to postural defects.

The curved position in the infant carrier is not optimal for the baby’s back, but so far it is the best compromise between safety and ergonomics. But the baby should not spend too much time in the car seat. It is therefore not suitable as a substitute for a crib or stroller, and for longer car rides lasting several hours, it is recommended to take regular breaks during which the baby can stretch out.

Switch off the airbag if the baby seat is in the front passenger seat!

As a rule, babies and children are best protected in the back seat, especially in the right rear or in the middle. If you still install the infant carrier in the front passenger seat, be sure to turn off the airbag. In the event of a collision, it poses a great risk of injury to the baby riding in the car.

Class I

Class 1 child seats are designed for children weighing between 9 and 18 kilograms, or between one and four years old, who are already able to sit independently. Typical child seats consist of a booster seat, a backrest, a height-adjustable headrest and side supports.

Some class I child seats are so-called reboarder seats. These are child seats that, like the infant carrier, are inserted into the vehicle against the direction of travel. In addition, there are child seats in this group that are already clamped in the direction of travel, as well as models that can be mounted in both directions, such as the britax romer DUALFIX 2 R.

Class II

Child seats in this class are designed for children between the ages of three and seven, or for children weighing between 15 and 25 kilograms. Class II seats are typically a larger version of Class I seats, but are usually used in the direction of travel. Seats in this group do not tend to be available as reboarders, but more frequently as booster seats without backrests. Pure class II seats are rarely found on the market. More common are combination models of seat groups II and III.

Class III

Class III seats are designed for children between the ages of six and twelve, or for children weighing between 25 and 36 kilograms. Class III child seats are booster seats without backrest and side impact protection. Typically, they are made of styrofoam encased in a cushioning cover. This design makes the class III seat very compact, light and easy to transport. If you occasionally have a child between the ages of 6 and 12, you can keep a booster seat in the trunk of your car without taking up too much space.

Only safe all round with a backrest

Prospective purchasers should keep in mind that these booster seats are no side impact protection offer: in crash tests by the stiftung warentest and the ADAC the testers therefore found that such models do not provide adequate protection. They advise alternatives such as child car seats that grow with the child in groups I/II/III and II/III, which protect the child’s head and neck area with a backrest.

Child seats that grow with the child

At least four child seats per child in order to have the right seat for each age group? That’s a lot and it can get expensive fast. A good alternative are seats that grow with the child, which cover the requirements of several seating groups. They are available in four groups.

0/Ireboarder with adjustable backrest for newborn to four year olds.
I/II: child seats with adjustable backrests for one to seven year olds that can be installed in the direction of travel.
II/IIIbooster seats with backrest and headrest for four to twelve year olds.
I/II/III: the all-rounder for one to twelve-year-olds.

You still need at least two child seats if you want to transport your child safely in the vehicle from birth onwards. Class I/II/III all-rounders are not suitable for newborns, as the baby sits in them and rides in the direction of travel. During the first year of life, you should transport your child in a suitable infant carrier.

All child seat groups at a glance

The following table provides an overview of all child seat groups and their respective suitability (source: stiftung warentest).

Groupageweightsizechild seat typestandard

0	up to 12 months	up to 10 kg	up to 75 cm	baby car seat	ECE R44/04
0+	up to 15 months	up to 13 kg	up to 90 cm	baby car seat	ECE R44/04
0+/I	up to 4 years	up to 18 kg	up to 100 cm	reboarder	ECE R44/04
phase 1	up to 4 years	up to 23 kg	40 to 105 cm	infant carrier/reboarder	i-size
phase 3	up to 4 years	up to 23 kg	40 to 105 cm	fastening with car belt	i-size
I	1 to 4 years	9 to 18 kg	75 to 100 cm	child seat	ECE R44/04
I/II	1 to 7 years	9 to 25 kg	72 to 125 cm	seat that grows with you	ECE R44/04
I/II/III	1 to 12 years	9 to 36 kg	75 to 150 cm	seat that grows with you	ECE R44/04
II	3,5 to 7 years	15 to 25 kg	95 to 125 cm	child seat	ECE R44/04
II/III	3.5 to 12 years	15 to 36 kg	95 to 150 cm	seat that grows with you	ECE R44/04
phase 2	4 to 12 years	20 to 36 kg	100 to 150 cm	booster seat	i-size
III	7 to 12 years	25 to 36 kg	120 to 150 cm	booster seat	ECE R44/04

How can I tell if the car seat is too small??

The weight and age specifications of the ECE standard only give parents a guide as to when it is time to change to a larger child seat model. It is particularly important that the head of the infant is well protected lies in the baby car seat and does not protrude over the edge. In addition, the belt of the baby car seat should disappear at shoulder height of the child in the seat. By the way, the length of the legs is not decisive for changing child seats. The legs may protrude over the bottom edge of the car seat as long as there is enough room for the head. As soon as there is less than two centimeters of space between the baby’s head and the upper edge of the car seat and the belt is already cutting into the neck area, you should change to a larger car seat. However, the prerequisite for this is that your offspring can sit independently.

Important safety features

The following section explains which requirements a child car seat has to meet according to the currently applicable standards and which features make a model a safe seat.

regulated safety thanks to testing standards

All child seats on the market must meet certain safety standards, which are currently defined by three test standards. Child seats that still comply with an older standard – such as ECE R44/01 – may no longer be used.

the latest i-size standard consists of three phases, which came into force one after the other. The i-size standard aims to make child seats even safer and, in contrast to the previous standards, stipulates, among other things safety standards in the event of a side impact before. In addition, all i-size seats in phases 1 and 2 support ISOFIX-fastening system that simplifies installation in the car and reduces the risk of operating errors. The following table summarizes the most important differences between the older ECE 44/04 standard and i-size:

standardUN ECE reg. 44/04i-size

grouping	by body weight	according to height
forward-facing driving	from 9 kilograms body weight	from 15 months
fastening in the car	with belt or ISOFIX	with ISOFIX
mandatory crash tests	frontal	frontal and lateral

The test badge

The test standard to which a child seat conforms is indicated on the test label affixed to each approved child seat. The following information can be found on it:

The european child seat test standard to which the seat conforms (ECE-R44 or i-size)
Body weight or size and maximum weight for which the seat is approved
Test number with identification number of the country of registration (E1 stands for germany)
Test number, the first two or three digits of which indicate the test standard met (03, 04 or 129)
The name of the manufacturer

If you are buying a new child seat, it is advisable to choose an i-size model because of the higher safety standards. Unless you are driving an older vehicle without an ISOFIX-system not compatible with an i-size seat. Even if you still have an accident-free child seat that is standardized according to ECE R44/03 or R44/04, you can still use it.

Securely fasten the seat in the vehicle

Basically, there are two different ways of attaching child seats to the vehicle:

With the three-point vehicle harness
Per ISOFIX-system

ECE-R44 testing standards allow both options, while i-size seats can only be installed via ISOFIX-system can be attached.

With vehicle belt: universally applicable, but prone to errors

Every vehicle is equipped with three-point belts, so you can easily strap a suitable child seat into the back seat or passenger seat regardless of the vehicle type. However, in order to securely fasten the seat with the vehicle belt, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly, which means a comparatively high susceptibility to errors. If the belt does not run optimally, there is a risk that it will slip in the event of a collision and not hold the seat securely in place. In addition, the vehicle belts are too short for some models.

can be installed in any vehicle

High susceptibility to errors
Car seat belts too short for some models
No direct connection to the body

ISOFIX: particularly safe, but not suitable for every vehicle

The ISOFIX system is much more secure than the three-point seat belt ISOFIX-system. This is an internationally standardized system for quickly securing child seats in the vehicle. The system consists of standardized eyelets in the vehicle that are firmly bolted to the body and stable hooks on the underside of the seat. This means that the child seat is not only restrained by the seatbelt, but is also directly connected to the vehicle body and is therefore particularly safe to install in the vehicle. In addition, child seats can be fitted per ISOFIX-system particularly easy to install in the vehicle. You push the hooks of the seat into the corresponding eyelets in the vehicle until the seat locks into place – that’s it.

Baby seats are equipped with ISOFIX-base station available. The station you bring per ISOFIX-system in your vehicle, while the infant carrier is attached to the station using the click system. This means that the station remains in the car while you can remove and reattach the infant carrier as needed – for example, to carry your child from the car into the house with it.

The only disadvantage of the ISOFIX-systems vis-à-vis the car belt: older vehicles are not equipped with it. However, you can have the system retrofitted. All passenger cars manufactured since 2013 are ISOFIX-compatible.

Stable connection to the car body
Simple attachment
Low susceptibility to errors

Not compatible with older vehicles

Additional safety options

ISOFIX-child seats are divided into vehicle-specific and universally approved models. For vehicle-specific models, you must check that the chosen seat will fit your vehicle before you buy it. Universally approved ISOFIX-seats are compatible with all vehicles ISOFIX-system compatible, but require a second fixation. The additional anchoring point prevents the seat from turning sideways or tipping over. There are three ways to do this:

Top tether: a top tether
Low tether: a lower restraint belt for reboarders and infant carriers
Support foot: supports the child seat against the car floor

The support foot, also known as the stand or support leg, is the most common variant. It is suitable for seats installed in the direction of travel as well as for reboarders and infant carriers. However, you should not use the support foot in vehicles with storage compartments in front of the rear seats. The lids of the compartments are not designed for such loads. However, you can remedy the situation with blocks available from specialist dealers and stabilize the stowage compartment lids. Alternatively, you can use a special restraining belt that you hook onto a designated anchor point in the vehicle. The top-tether anchor point is usually located on the parcel shelf or in the trunk. You can recognize it by an anchor symbol.

Secure in the seat: the seat belt systems

For a safe ride, it is not enough for the seat to be stable in the vehicle. The child must also be secured in the seat with a suitable restraint system. Seats for children up to four years of age must have an integrated harness system, while older children can also be strapped in with the vehicle’s seat belt.

Child seats for younger children and also infant carriers are typically equipped with a harness belt. In this case the three-point and five-point harnesses distinguish. Both belt systems provide very good relief for the cervical vertebrae in the event of a collision. Baby seats often have a three-point belt in a Y-shape. It runs over both shoulders and is buckled between the legs. In contrast, the five-point harness additionally runs over the hips on both sides and is fastened over the belly.

Both an alternative and a supplement to the harness belt is a so-called catching body or catching table. It is well padded and located at the chest level of the child.

The larger surface area of a safety harness distributes the impact forces much more evenly distributed across the body than a harness belt, where the forces act mainly in the sensitive neck area. In addition, child seats with a catch table have the advantage that they are particularly easy to buckle your child in. However, child seats with a harness belt offer your child a better sleeping position. If you don’t want to make a choice, simply choose a child seat with a five-point harness and a restraint system.

Padding and side impact protection

To protect the child in the event of a collision to be caught as gently as possible and well protected, the seat must be sufficiently padded. This applies above all to the head area, but also to the back and hip area. Some child seats, such as models from britax roman, are equipped with additional shoulder pads. Also important is side impact protection, which is now mandatory according to the i-size standard.

Child seats with alarm system

Forgetting the child in the car? This should not normally happen. However, with all the stress and haste, this can happen. Therefore, some manufacturers offer child seats with an alarm system that alerts you if you leave the vehicle but your child remains in the seat. Cybex For example, its alarm system sensorsafe. This is a clip attached to the five-point harness, for which there is an app. The clip sounds an alarm via bluetooth if you leave your child alone in the seat, but also in other critical situations such as too high or too low temperature in the vehicle.

Compulsory in Italy since 2019

In november 2019, a new law came into force in italy as a result of a petition: children up to four years of age may only be transported in a child seat with an alarm system. If you do not comply, you can expect a fine of between 81 and 326 euro. Repeated offenses within two years will result in the suspension of your driver’s license for at least 15 days. As a vacationer in italy, however, you do not have to worry about that. The law applies only to vehicles registered in Italy.

Safe on the road with the child seat

No matter how good the child seat is, if it is not installed correctly or adjusted incorrectly, it will not provide sufficient safety in the event of a collision. What you have to observe when installing the seat depends on the respective fastening system. Basically a ISOFIX-seat always preferable because of its simple, safe installation.

Ensure that the child’s posture in the child seat is as upright as possible. Before buckling up, reach under your child’s buttocks and slide it so that it sits in the middle of it. If the child seat has an adjustable headrest, adjust it so that there is only a few centimeters of space between the headrest and your shoulder. Otherwise it sits too high and cannot support the head properly. First buckle your child in loosely and then tighten the belt.

How does the child seat belt fit properly??

Before tightening, check that the belt is not twisted at any point and is not too close to the neck. The belt should hold the child securely in the seat, but not constrict it. If you can put your flat hand between the harness and your child’s upper body, the seat will fit perfectly. Thick jackets should be taken off your child in the car and instead it is better to cover it with the jacket or a blanket over the seat belt. The same applies to child seats with a catch table. When sitting without a seat belt, the seat belt is not required. place your child upright in the seat and slide the catch body into position so that a flat hand fits between the child’s upper body and the catch table.

Buckling up with the three-point belt

If your child is already older and is riding in a seat without an integrated seat belt system, he or she should fasten the seat belt with the three-point belt. It is important that the belt does not run below the shoulder but above it. The seat should also be tight and not twisted at any point.

Up to what age must a child ride backwards in a car??

According to the older ECE standard, babies up to a body weight of 13 kilograms must be transported against the direction of travel. Accordingly, seats in groups 0 and 0+ must be able to be installed in the vehicle against the direction of travel. the newer i-size standard specifies that children up to an age of 15 months may only ride in a rear-facing seat in the vehicle. If a child is sitting in the child seat facing the direction of travel, its head will be thrown forward without braking in the event of a head-on collision – a very high risk of injury for the sensitive cervical spine. If, on the other hand, the child is sitting in a reboarder against the direction of travel, the forces acting on the body are distributed evenly over the back, which significantly reduces the strain on the neck. Among other things ADAC recommends children up to the age of four to be transported in a reboarder.

When can the child ride without a seat?

If your child is already twelve years old or taller than 1.50 meters according to the law it is allowed to ride in a vehicle without a child seat within germany. If the child is already 12 years old, but still smaller than 1.50 meters, it is recommended for safety reasons not to do without the child seat, at least if the vehicle seat belt does not yet fit properly without a child seat. It should run along the hips and should never be above the abdominal area. The shoulder belt ideally runs between the neck and the shoulder blade and rests on the collarbone. under no circumstances may it be placed directly on the neck. In addition, your child’s knees should be flush with the car seat. If the child’s thighs are still too short for this, you should not do without the child seat yet.

Compulsory child seats in austria and switzerland

The child seat obligation in switzerland is similar to the regulations in germany. In austria, child seats are also compulsory for children up to 1.50 meters tall. However, the age limit of 14 is set higher.

Useful accessories

most manufacturers offer various accessories for their child seats. Partly it is already included in the scope of delivery. A sunshade, for example, is practical so that your offspring are not dazzled during the journey. For hot summer days, there are also breathable cotton covers that provide better ventilation, especially in the back area. On cold days, you can keep your child warm with a footmuff or a swaddle blanket. For the infant carrier, some manufacturers offer mosquito nets that can be stretched over the carrier.

Especially for longer trips, a holder for snacks and drinks practically. So your offspring can operate it themselves while driving, while you concentrate on the road traffic. To protect your car seats from crumbs and spilled drinks, you can place a removable protective mat under the child seat.

To ensure that the child seat is not only safe, but also comfortable, you can retrofit it with a neck cushion or neck roll. The integrated harness systems are usually padded so that they do not pinch or cut in uncomfortably. If you already buckle your child in with the vehicle seat belt, you can purchase additional protective pads.

Further test reports

Attention this is a comparison. We have not tested the child car seats ourselves.

If you are looking for test reports on child car seats, you will find them among others at the ADAC and found at the foundation warentest.

The ADAC’s child car seat tests

The ADAC regularly tests child car seats. 2019 alone, it tested and evaluated a total of 71 models for different age groups. The test criteria included safety, ergonomics and workmanship. The testers also check whether the selected child seats contain harmful substances and how easy they are to clean.

The current test winner of all child seats for children up to one year of age tested since 2015 is the infant carrier MAXI-COSI jade in connection with the base station MAXI-COSI 3wayfix. When it comes to seats for boys and girls up to about one and a half years old, the KIDDY evo-luna i-size the table at; among the test candidates for children up to circa four years occupies the BESAFE izi kid X2 i-size first place in the ranking. Among the models that are suitable for children up to the age of about twelve, the BAIER adebar at the top. In the category of child seats for children up to about seven years of age, testers have so far scrutinized only a few products – and those that have been tested have received moderate to poor ratings.

Current test from 2019

The most recent child seat test of the ADAC is from november 2019. 18 new child car seats were tested, divided into the following age groups:

Until ca. 1.5 years: 10 models
Up to ca. 4 years: 2 models
Up to ca. 12 years: 1 model
1 to 4 years: 1 model
1 to 12 years: 2 models
4 to 12 years: 2 models

Pleasing: all 18 models were able to convince in the frontal impact test as well as in the side impact tests. Particularly positive was the model besafe izi kid X3 i-size which is suitable for children between one and four years of age. In both frontal and side impacts, the testers rated the model’s safety as "very good" – the best safety rating of any car seat tested since 2015 by the ADAC tested seats.

In the overall evaluation, twelve of the tested models received the grade "good" and four a "satisfactory". The baby car seat received the best overall rating swandoo albert in combination with the associated ISOFIX-base (grade 1.6). It is suitable for children between 40 and 85 centimeters tall and was convincing in all test categories. The only negative point cited by the testers was the comparatively high weight. The joie verso, the only model in the test that is suitable for all age groups received an overall rating of 3.1. Although it impressed the testers with its very good workmanship, stable position in the vehicle and good belt routing, among other things. However, the testers rated the risk of incorrect operation as slightly increased. In addition, the installation of the seat, the buckling of the child and the removal of the cover are a little more complicated.

Two models in the test, however, attracted negative attention due to their high pollutant content and received an overall rating of "poor": the baby seat hauck ipro baby, once with and once without base station ipro base.

How the ADAC child seat tests is illustrated by the following video, which summarizes the results of the latest child seat test:

child car seat tests by stiftung warentest

stiftung warentest also regularly tests child seats. The four test criteria include:

Accident safety (50 percent of the overall rating)
Handling (40 percent of the overall rating)
Ergonomics (10 percent of total score)
Pollutants (deductions from the overall score starting from the grade "sufficient" in this test criterion)

In the database of models tested since 2015, there are currently 491 child seats for different weight classes and body sizes. The current table leader of all seats tested since 2015 is the aton 5 from cybex, which received the grade "good" (1.6). It is suitable for a body weight of up to 13 kilograms and was particularly convincing in the test in the "accident safety" and "pollutants" categories. Second place also goes to the aton 5 (note: 1,7), but here it figures in connection with the base station aton base 2. Although the base station increases safety somewhat, it also makes handling noticeably more difficult, which is why the more expensive combination ends up in second place. The bronze medal is worn by the GB from idan (grade: 1.8), which is also suitable from birth up to a weight of 13 kilograms. It convinced in the crash tests with a low risk of injury. Deductions were made for a slightly increased potential misuse as well as the somewhat laborious removal of the cover.

Current test from 2019

The most recent child car seat test was published by stiftung warentest in june 2019. A total of 31 child seats were tested – for newborns and for children weighing up to 36 kilograms or 150 centimeters. The best overall rating was achieved by the MAXI-COSI jade in combination with the base station MAXI-COSI 3wayfix (grade 1.5), which is suitable for babies up to 105 centimeters tall. It is the only child seat in the test with the grade "very good". 23 models scored a "good," including the nania beone SP (from birth up to 36 kilograms, note 2.3), the britax romer advansafix IV R (from 9 to 36 kilograms, grade 2.3) and the britax romer kidfix III M (15 to 36 kilograms, grade 1.7). Three models were rated "satisfactory", two "sufficient" and two others failed with a "poor". The latter includes the maxi-cosi tobifix, which spoiled its otherwise good test scores by containing the pollutant TCPP. The testers also awarded the following seat a "poor" rating chicco oasis rejected because they found an acute safety risk: during the crash test, the seatbelt buckle was ripped out of the seat.