Are parents abiding by this new regulation? Do parents know that children and infants are at risk if they are not well-restrained in the car? Children and infants are dependent on adults who are therefore responsible for making sure that all children and infants travelling in a car are safe.

Statistics state that last year some 317 vehicle passengers were injured in traffic accidents. At least 23 of these passengers were children aged under 10 years, three of whom suffered serious injuries. The use of a restraint system on children can reduce this risk.

Using a child car seat is the best protection you can give your child when travelling by car. A child car seat can reduce the risk of a fatal accident or that of severe injuries. When choosing a car seat, there are important general guidelines to follow in order to ensure your child’s safety.

• Choose a seat whose label states that it meets or exceeds the standards of the United Nations Regulation ECE 44-03;

• Choose a seat that is comfortable and well-padded;

• Choose a seat that gives good protection to the head.

Guidelines for choosing a child car seat according to weight

Infant car seats – Birth to 13 kilos

Infant car seats are designed to protect babies from birth until they reach 13 kilos. They always face toward the rear and fit a newborn baby best. Many infant car seats are also very convenient, since they are designed to be used as carriers, chairs, or rockers when not used in the car. Many models detach right from the base, allowing you to leave the base installed in the car.

A baby who weighs 13 kilos but has not yet reached one year of age should still ride in a rear-facing seat, because his neck is not strong enough to support his head in the event of a crash. This means you will have to switch to an infant seat designed for larger babies, or a convertible seat for infants and toddlers.

Convertible car seats – Birth to 18 kilos

Convertible car seats are designed to protect children from birth up to 18 kilos. Convertible seats are the only type of seats that are placed in different positions depending on your child’s age; they face the rear until your baby is 13 kilos or one year old, and can be turned to face forward after that. Convertible seats are heavy and not very portable, yet these types of seats can be economical since it may not be necessary to buy a separate infant car seat. If using a convertible seat, make sure it fits your child correctly – a small child in a large seat may not be the best option.

Toddler car seats – older than one year and between nine to 18 kilos

Toddler car seats are designed to protect children from one year old, therefore between nine and 18 kilos. This is the suitable safety seat once an infant has grown out of the infant car seat. It is recommended that the car seat includes:

• a five-point harness;

• shoulder straps should be adjustable to accommodate the child’s height;

• all straps should fit snugly, especially over the shoulder and thigh areas. Straps should always lie flat, never twisted. If you can pinch any harness webbing between your fingers, it is too loose and needs to be adjusted;

• shoulder straps should be at or above your child’s shoulder level;

• be sure to readjust harness as your child grows.

Booster seats – between 15 and 36 kilos

When the child reaches the maximum weight allowed for his car seat, or his ears have reached the top of the car seat, you will need to switch to a booster seat. Booster seats are designed for children who have outgrown safety seats but are still too small to be properly restrained by a vehicle’s seat belts.

Booster seats come in many styles. Belt positioning boosters raise the child to a height where he can safely use the car’s lap and shoulder belts. They also come in high back versions and these are recommended when the car has low seat backs, and backless versions may be used if the child’s head is supported up to the top of his ears by the vehicle’s back seat or headrest.

When to use the seat belt without a booster

It is highly recommended that a child is kept in a car seat for as long as possible. This is usually until the child is four feet nine inches in height or weighs over 36 kilos. Make sure that a child is ready to use the seat belt without a booster by following these guidelines:

• the child’s knees should bend easily over the edge of the seat without slouching;

• seat belts are made for adults, make sure that the seat belts in the car fit the child

correctly;

• the shoulder belt should lie across the shoulder, not the neck or throat;

• the lap belt must be low and flat across the hips, not the stomach;

• NEVER tuck the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.

Make sure that the above guidelines are followed if you have a child. Parents are responsible for teaching their child what is best for her/him especially when it comes to safety. A child’s life is special to all parents. Do not take risks, use a safe car seat.

Mariebelle Muscat is

Chicco brand manager