ISOFIX chairs 0, 1, 2 and 3: safety for the smallest

Before choosing a child restraint system, you need to consider issues such as vehicle adaptation and whether it is suitable for the child's height and weight. It is also very important that you have a fastening system to securely and effectively secure the chair. To achieve this, the ISOFIX standard was created to ensure maximum safety for children on board.

What is an ISOFIX mount system?

All child seats are safety systems that are mandatory for children under 1,35 m tall). These systems reduce up to 22% the chance of injury in an accident. There are two ways, or basic mechanisms, to secure a child seat in a car: with seat belts or with the ISOFIX system. The latter method is the safest and is recommended.

ISOFIX is the designation for the international standard for child restraint systems in automobiles. This is a system that is installed in the rear seat of a car and has three anchor points to which the child seat can be attached in the car. Two of them are connected to the metal strips on which the chair will be mounted, and the other is located at the back of the seat, in the trunk floor.

The ISOFIX system with Top Tether combines the use of these anchorages with seat belts. The belt is mounted on top and provides additional fastening; it is better to fasten the child seats with their backs forward to protect sudden slippage. The upper end of the belt is attached to the mounting eyes, and the lower is connected to the anchor and rear of the seat.

ISOFIX Mount Types for Chair

There are different groups of seats depending on your type of ISOFIX. Each of these mounts will be effective in children of different ages:

• Groups 0 and 0+. For children up to 13 kg of weight. You should always use it in the opposite direction, because in this way the chair protects your head, neck and back better. The child is secured in a seat with 5-point safety belts.
• Group 1. For children from 9 to 18 kg, it is always necessary to install the seat in the car, and then put the child on it. We also fix the child with 5-point seat belts.
• Groups 2 and 3. For children from 15 to 36 kg, this is a seat attachment designed for cases where the child is already big for a car seat, but too small to use adult seat belts. It is recommended to use a backrest pad for the child in order to reach the height required to use the vehicle's seat belts. The belt should be on the shoulder, without touching the neck. The horizontal band of the belt should be placed as low as possible on the hips, not on the stomach.

Latest car seat recommendations for children

Car seats must have an EU certification label. Armchairs without certification markings are not safe. The current ones are ECE R44 / 04 and the i-Size standard.

Provided that it is planned to place the child seat on the front passenger seat, the relevant instructions in the instruction manual should be taken into account, especially those related to the deactivation of the front passenger airbag.

It is advisable that the seats be placed in the Central part of the rear seat, provided that the vehicle is not prepared for the installation of ISOFIX mounts in this area. Otherwise, it is best to place them in the right rear seat, so the driver will have a better viewing angle for the child and, in addition, this side, which is closer to the curb, is safer to get the child out of the car.

Many drivers travel with children in a car. Therefore, it is important not only to maintain the vehicle in good condition and to do everything necessary for the safety of the child.

Questions and answers:

How do you know if there is an isofix in the car? The isofix mount must be fixed on the brackets installed on the car body (in the gap between the seat and the back). In the places where the brackets are installed on the upholstery of the seats, there is a corresponding inscription.

Where is the isofix mount in the car? These are two metal braces that are located on the back sofa in the gap between the back and the seat of the sofa. The distance between the braces is standard for all child car seats.

What is the better isofix mount? This attachment is the best way to secure the child seat. It prevents the chair from moving freely in a collision.