Car seat regulations and the news of 2020

Why is the regulation on the approval of child seats and car safety updated so frequently? In the event of an accident, children in the car risk much more than adults! Precisely for this reason, there are strict rules for the transport of minors on a car. Furthermore, in 2019 interesting news will be introduced to counter the phenomenon of involuntary abandonment of children in the car. Let's find out what sets the standard and what changes will be introduced.

What does the highway code say about child seats?

L ' article 172 establishes the obligation for all the passengers and drivers to use the appropriate safety belts; children under 1.50 m in height must be carried with a restraint system appropriate to their weight. There are exceptions that concern, for example, taxis: children can travel without restraint (or child seat) only on the rear seats and only if accompanied by people over the age of 16.
If the car is without restraint, children under 3 cannot travel. On the other hand, minors over 3 years of age can travel in the front seat only if their stature is greater than 1.50 m.

What are the homologation regulations for child seats?

Many models on the market cover multiple groups, for example, there are seats suitable for both group 0+ and group 1. From January 2017, child seats for children under 125 cm in height must be equipped with a backrest. However, backless elevations are still usable for a limited period yet to be defined. Low-cost airport minicab service Bournemouth

UNECE R129

This is the most recent European legislation introduced; the classification of the seats has changed and uses the weight but the height of the child as a measuring meter. Let's see the 2 phases of the legislation:

First phase: from the end of 2013 the first phase, called i-Size, was introduced, which concerned the introduction of the Isofix fixing eyelets for children from infants up to 105 cm in height.

Second phase: the legislation, from the summer of 2017, does not require the use of the Isofix system as in the first phase, the driver will, therefore, be free to choose between fixing the seat using Isofix or with seat belts. In addition, all boosters approved according to R129-02 sold after the summer of 2017 must be equipped with a backrest.

Both standards, the UNECE R44 / 04 and the UNECE R129 coexist.
It is important to specify that the products approved before the introduction of the novelties are still salable and usable. Furthermore, the highway code has not yet introduced any changes to the transportation of minors by car. In general, children over 22 kg, even under 125 cm in height, can travel with a Group 3 seat even without a backrest.

Comparison between two current car seat regulations

What is the risk of the driver with children in a car without a seat or the correct approval?
The driver is responsible for the non-use of the safety system by minors in the car, being responsible for any physical damage suffered by them and paying a penalty with theft of the license points. There is talk of a sum ranging from 81 to 326 € and a deduction of 5 points from the license.

How are car seats mounted in the car?

We make an important clarification: since 2006 car manufacturers have been obliged to build their vehicles with the appropriate Isofix standardized international anchoring system. It is therefore not an optional option! All cars purchased in recent years have these couplings. The first thing to do is to make sure that the seat you are buying is adaptable to your car, carefully consulting the package leaflet. The latest models of child seats can be attached to the car chassis thanks to Isofix or even with seat belts. We remind you that some Isofix child seats cannot be mounted with the car seat belts, but they necessarily require hooks.

The seat must be well secured, the straps must be close to the child's body and the diagonal section must be positioned correctly over the shoulders. The most suitable place is the rear seat. Another trick is to make sure that your car's seat belts are long enough to secure even the bulkiest seats. In fact, it may be necessary to purchase an extension. If the seat is positioned in the opposite direction of travel (recommended position for the first 9 months of the infant), the airbag, if present, must be deactivated.

Car seats divided by group and band.

What is the news on child seats in 2020?

In this case, we are talking about a bill approved on September 25, 2018, and published in the Official Journal on October 12, 2018, which provides for the introduction of an alarm device to avoid the involuntary abandonment of children in the car.

WHAT THE 766 BILL SAYS

A paragraph 1-bis has been introduced in article 172 of the highway code, which provides that the driver of a vehicle not only ensures that children under the age of 4 onboard are insured to a regular restraint system, but also to a special alarm device aimed at preventing the child's abandonment.
Therefore, even those who do not comply with this new directive will be punished.

L ' Article 1 instructs the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to define the technical and structural and functional features of the device, within sixty days from the date of entry into force of the law. We advise you to read the article on the anti-abandoning seat regulation.

UPDATES READS 766 ANTI-ABANDONMENT DEVICES

Act 766 came into force on 7 November 2019 following the signing of the implementing decree of ' Article 172 of the New Highway Code and publication in the Official Gazette.