Child seats have been around for over 50 years. So something has been done for a long time for child safety in the car. This number is all the more astonishing because it was only in 1993 that it became a legal requirement in germany to transport the offspring in a child car seat, a so-called restraint system. Since then much has changed. But what are the current laws and standards?? We provide an overview of child safety in the car.
Sitting still? Better not! Few children want to spend hours in the car. That makes it all the more important to find the right child seat that fits the child. It should not only be comfortable, but above all guarantee the safety of the little passengers. Nowadays, a baby car seat is at the top of the list of purchases for parents-to-be. Already on the ride home from the hospital it is used for the first time. This seems so self-evident today that it’s hard to imagine that a child car seat wasn’t mandatory not so long ago.
Preventing injuries in accidents
It is also astonishing how long there were no seat belts in cars. You don’t have to wear a seat belt until 1976! However, this was not enforced with fines until 1984 – the penalty at that time: 40 marks. In the same year maxi-cosi introduces the first child seat for newborns. The "maxi-cosi standard" is considered a real innovation: never before has there been a rear-facing infant carrier. Until then, children were usually placed in simple carrycots. These rules are of course long outdated in our time. Since the 01. April 1993 children up to 12 years of age, who are less than 1.50 meters tall, must be buckled up in the car and sit in a suitable child seat, according to §21 abs. 1a of the road traffic regulations.
1984 maxi-cosi launches the "standard", the first baby car seat on the european market.
Safe on the road in a child car seat
Today, anyone who does not wear a seat belt while driving has to pay a fine of 30 euros. anyone who allows their child to drive without a car seat and without wearing a seat belt must expect to pay 60 euros and a penalty point in flensburg. However, even with a restraint system, a fine can be incurred – so be careful when buying a child seat! The child car seat must always be approved in accordance with a currently applicable EU standard.
The latest safety standard ECE R129 dates back to 2013. The so-called "i-size" directive stipulates that the child car seat must be installed backwards for the first 15 months in order to protect the child’s head and neck region. The standard also makes it easier to choose the right child seat, because the classification is now based on body size instead of weight. In addition, there are also higher requirements for side impact protection as a result of more targeted crash tests. Thanks to the "ISOFIX" fastening, i.e. buckling by means of two hooks on the child seat, the risk of incorrect installation is also reduced and a higher level of safety is ensured.
Pebble plus from maxi-cosi
The world’s first i-size baby car seat was launched by maxi-cosi in 2014 with the "pebble-plus". The company not only invests continuously in product development, research and material and crash tests, but was also involved in the development of the safety standard through experts. This means that the models always comply with european safety standards.
You need a new child car seat? Read here our tips for buying a baby car seat.