Children under twelve years are special passengers in your car and should ride by special rules. These requirements exist for safety of transportation of the child. Without observance of rules in case of any road accident the greatest troubles appear at little passengers, that's why you should pay special attention to quality and accuracy of transportation kids in cars.
In some points the requirement of the legislation are very dim, which is the reason of uncertainty in permission on use of any type of children's safety controls. The rules should be examined in more detail.
Basic rules of transportation of children in the car
If you open appropriate section of traffic regulations, you will be able to read interesting, but not informative article about what norms of safety should be provided to the child. Rules require using of certain children's retaining devices or other special devices (including the standard equipment of the car), allowing to fasten the child properly.
The interesting addition in rules - transportation of children with use of all these security aids is necessary in the vehicles equipped with seat belts. That is, if in your car on back seats there are no belts, you needn't worry about the child (at least, that is what comes out the interpretation of the rules). The following items are also important:
- child shan't be fastened by standard seat belts without special devices;
- in front seat it is possible to transport the child only in a children's seat;
- do not transport child on back seat of motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles equipped with the engine.
Special adapters for seat belts
Traffic regulations and real safety in the car are very far apart. So you have to decide, whether you want to avoid a penalty or to protect your child in the car. And in this context we should recalling incredibly popular and available thing - child seatbelt adapter.
It is a piece of cloth which is put on the child and hold a standard seat belt at chest level. All this surprising construction is hold on stickers. The price is from 5 to 117 dollars. And now about disadvantages:
- buyingthis stuff you are going to entrust child's life and health to two Chinese stickers;
- the adapter doesn't protect from injuries, and only increases pressure of a seat belt on the child;
- in case of the strong accident the cloth of the adapter can be broken and belt can hit in neck area;
- if the adapter isn't broken, it squeezes all child's body during strike.
There were no official tests of this invention. But practical remarks of parents which have tried to use adapters, are not encouraging. Stickers after several uses are out of service, and your child receives the considerable danger even without special situations on the road. The child is in dangerous situation even during hard brake.
Boosters and safety seats for children
Rules of transportation of children in cars in all civilized countries require using of special children's automobile seats. There is one more variation for economical parents - the booster. This is a seat pillow which raises the child and allows to fasten him by a standard belt.
To understand that such protection is not good, look at the photos of bruises from seat belts of the people who have had an accident. Manufacturers adjust powder charge and other security aids of a belt under adults, and such kind of belt won't be able to protect the little child's body. The advantages of use of children's seats are:
- additional protection of the child in case of any road accident and braking;
- fastening by belts in the seat that hold the kid gently;
- easy installation of seats on the fastening IsoFix which are present at all new cars;
- existence of convenient seats for distant trips.
You can provide full comfort of the child and get maximum of convenient opportunities in case of any trips. It is impossible to allow the free movement of children in salon, otherwise problems can notbe avoided even in case of a hard acceleration or braking, not to mention impacts.
Reveal your caution and prudence when choosing security facilities for the child. There are no doubts that presence of the kid in the car makes you to drive more carefully. But safety of your car depends not only on you.
Summing up
Protection of the child in the car is very important. Very often drivers ignore these capabilities, for that they are punished bytraffic police at best.
It is important to realize the need of a children's seat and not to give preference to ineffective security facilities. Do you have any real examples of efficiency of children's security facilities in the car?
About the authors
The CarAraC research team is composed of seasoned auto mechanics and automotive industry professionals, including individuals with advanced degrees and certifications in their field. Our team members boast prestigious credentials, reflecting their extensive knowledge and skills. These qualifications include: IMI: Institute of the Motor Industry, ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technicians; Coventry University, Graduate of MA in Automotive Journalism; Politecnico di Torino, Italy, MS Automotive Engineering; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mechanical University in Skopje; TOC Automotive College; DHA Suffa University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Add comment