Where should a child sit in the car?

New rules for transporting children: what to sit on and how to secure a child in the car?

In Russia, on July 12, amendments to the Traffic Rules regulating the transportation of children in cars come into force. They were approved by government decree of June 28 and were officially published on the Legal Information Portal on July 4. Znak.com reminds parents what they should know when going on a trip with their child from now on.

What's new?

The main thing to remember is that children under 7 years of age must now only ride in car seats. In the updated legislation, they are designated as “child restraint systems,” and this is confusing, which is also complained by some lawyers who do not understand why, when the rules were adjusted, car seats could not finally be called “car seats.” After all, even before that there were some “child restraints” provided there.

In addition, everyone is accustomed to the fact that the traffic rules also mentioned “other means that allow you to fasten a child using seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle.” This meant cradles, boosters and adapters, although practice has shown that the use of the latter was still associated with the risk of running into a fine.

Now there are no options - only a car seat, the parameters of which must correspond to the height and weight of the child. No pillows or thick books under your butt.

At the same time, it became possible to transport children from 7 to 11 years old inclusive as adults - simply by fastening them with a standard seat belt. But this is provided that the child rides in the back seat. When transported alongside the driver, all children under 12 years of age are required to ride in a car seat. A special note for motorcyclists - if the passenger is under 12 years old, it is prohibited to carry him in the back seat.

What is the point of the changes?

As always, the amendments are explained by concern for the safety of road users. The traffic police cite the results of crash tests and other examinations, which led to the conclusion that all these “other means” for transporting children in accidents do not mitigate, but, on the contrary, only aggravate the sad consequences. Until the death of the child. True, some lawyers - in particular, Sergei Voronin, managing partner of the legal company Legal Resolution - argue that there has actually been almost no research on the topic of safety when transporting a child in a child car seat.

In addition, when determining the level of safety of children's transportation, the condition of the roads is not taken into account.

The “Spikes” sign and new traffic rules: what you need to know

Be that as it may, there is another nuance for which we can really thank the initiator of the amendments: the ability to transport children from 7 to 12 years old in the back seat without a seat. This is especially important if your child is growing by leaps and bounds, each time having even greater difficulty getting into a car seat. There are, however, the opposite situations: a third-grader’s voice is already ready to break, but his not yet particularly expressive constitution inspires outright fears that he might slip out from under the seat belt if something happens.

In a word, starting from the age of seven, parents have options: it is considered that by default it is safer to travel in a car seat, but if the height and weight of the young passenger (here experts call for focusing on the maximum parameters of 150 cm and 36 kg) will already make such a trip for him uncomfortable, let him sit in the back seat and drive like an adult. The rules now allow this.

Will you have to shell out money for a car seat?

Strange question, don't you think? Isn't this about your child's safety? However, let us draw your attention again: in the new version, the rules allow you to do without a car seat at all if your child is already seven years old and if you do not carry him in the front seat. We would only recommend not to forget documents at home, which, if anything happens, will convince the inspector that the young passenger in your car is already at the age when you can do without a car seat. Your passport with a note about children or a personal birth certificate will do for this.

However, one can understand the parents of a child who, say, in six months or a year will turn seven years old, but needs to be transported now.

Buying a car seat for this short period with an average cost of around 5 thousand rubles may indeed not seem like a very reasonable decision. So experts expect the market for used car seats to grow, as is happening with the same baby strollers. Well, or as experts joke, for some, the presence of an unclaimed car seat in the trunk will serve as an additional incentive to increase the country’s demographic indicators.

What if the trip is by taxi?

There are no provisions for this in the traffic rules, so taxis will comply with general requirements. When ordering a taxi, notify the service that you will need a car seat and indicate the age of the child. A sane service will figure it out on its own and send you the car you need.

But if for some reason the driver arrives without a seat or hesitates to take it out of the trunk and install it before the trip, our recommendation: send him on his way.

Firstly, if you are stopped by an inspector, you will face long and unpleasant arguments about who should pay the fine. And secondly, we remind you again that we are talking about the safety of the child. A taxi driver's laziness or bad mood is not a reason to risk the health and life of your child.

What else has changed?

The legislator was concerned about the frequency of cases when, due to the fault of careless adults, a child remained locked inside a car and the case even ended in tragedy, given how quickly the air inside the car heats up in the sun. The rules now prohibit leaving children under 7 years of age in vehicles unless there is also an adult in the car.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs allowed to register cars without providing compulsory motor liability insurance

Oddly enough, there is also a bad side to this: the initiators of the adjustments did not foresee the situation when, say, a mother leaves the car with her young son inside for five minutes in order to pay at a gas station. According to the changed rules, they must go to the checkout together, and you can imagine what it will be like, for example, in winter. Moreover, if there are two or three children under seven years of age.

An even more amusing incident is that, when leaving the car, you will not be able to leave your young child with, say, a 17-year-old daughter, because adulthood in Russia begins at 18 years of age.

What about sanctions?

Fortunately, the amount of the fine for transporting children without car seats (according to the above rules) has not yet changed. But even now it is quite significant - 3 thousand rubles (Part 3 of Article 12.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

Violation of the ban on leaving minors alone in a car will fall under the sanction of Article 12.19 of the Administrative Code and will cost the violator 500 rubles. Although you can get off with a simple warning.

But it is important to keep in mind: when responding to cases of finding a child in a locked car, law enforcement officers very often initiate a criminal case for leaving in danger. And this already means a criminal record and a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles or up to a year in prison. Well, and troubles with the authorities dealing with juvenile affairs. There is no guarantee that particularly zealous law enforcement officers, for the sake of performance (as well as for show), will not begin to extend this practice to the described “gas station incidents.”

Let's summarize. It used to be like this: any child under 12 years old must be seated in a chair or on some kind of elevation so that he is raised and can be fastened with a belt.

Now only child car seats can be used. Alternatives are not allowed. But a child from 7 to 11 years old inclusive can be transported in the back seat without a child seat, fastened with a belt. Children from 12 years of age can be carried as ordinary passengers. You should also not leave a child under 7 years old in a car without someone over 18 years old. Even for five minutes.

Where is the safest place in the car for a child?

The most important and vulnerable passenger in a car is a child, so parents must first take measures for his safe travel. To reduce the risk of injury to a child during emergency braking and an accident, it is necessary to purchase special devices according to age and weight and place the small passenger in the safest place.

What place in a car is considered the safest according to statistics?

According to inexorable statistics and realities of life, any vehicle in the event of a serious accident (collision, coup, etc.) is subject to varying degrees of damage. Manufacturers of passenger cars are trying to protect passengers by creating a kind of increased safety field around them, trying to reduce body deformation in the area of passenger seats.

Thus, the safest seat in the car is located where the likelihood of overloads hazardous to health and body deformations is minimal. In other words, this is the place in the car where the chances of surviving a serious accident are much higher than in the rest.

Many drivers still consider the safest place for a passenger to be behind them, but this is not true. This version has long been debunked and there is a lot of evidence for this. The main arguments for such a statement are the driver’s instinctive removal of danger from himself, which consists in removing his side from the trajectory of the impact, exposing the opposite side. There is also a popular version that the child is safest behind the passenger seat.

Both options do not take into account the likelihood of a side impact and vehicle rollover, leading to deformations of the side parts of the body.

To identify the safest passenger seat, many studies have been carried out, including a thorough study of statistics on road traffic accidents with victims.

Additionally, a number of crash tests were carried out, especially now they have become as close to reality as possible and are carried out independently of manufacturers, who, of course, are interested in presenting their products as safer than their competitors.

Based on the results of numerous tests and accident analysis, the safest place for a child was identified - the rear middle seat, provided that the child is in a special seat (for small children), correctly installed, or wearing a seat belt (teenagers). The level of safety when a child is in this place is 15-25% higher compared to other seats.

This statement is confirmed by the design features of the car, since when a small passenger is in the rear in the middle, it reduces the likelihood of injury both during side impacts and during a vehicle rollover, which causes deformation of the doors, side pillars and side parts of the roof.

It is in the center of the rear passenger row that there is most of the free space necessary to save a small passenger. Of course, such an effect is only possible when sitting in a child seat or using other special devices or a standard belt in the case of teenagers.

Parental neglect of safety measures leads to an increase in child injuries and mortality in road accidents. They argue with dubious arguments, such as that the child is uncomfortable sitting, does not like it, or give dubious arguments for exceptional situations when the absence of restraints saved a life. When the standard seat belts are fastened, the risk of injury to the child increases many times over, even during emergency braking, since the child will not stay in place.

This seat is the most uncomfortable in vehicles, with the exception of minivans and other car models in which the back row consists of three separate seats. In addition, many modern car models, including cars and luxury SUVs, are equipped with armrests and other devices that increase comfort, so this place is missing.

Many inexpensive cars and family cars are equipped with special mounts for mounting child seats in the center of the rear row. Most passenger vehicle models are equipped with a standard seat belt or at least a cross strap. When the vehicle is equipped with seat belts in this manner, to preserve the life and health of children, it is strongly recommended that they be placed in the middle of the rear row of seats.

How to install a child seat in a car correctly

To ensure the safety of a child while driving, it is necessary to correctly select child restraint devices (according to age and weight) and install them.

There are three options for installing a child car seat, depending on the car, each of them has its own specifics:

1) Isofix fastening system. The chair is secured to the metal fasteners on the outboard runners using built-in locks. The slides are located inside the seat and are rigidly connected to the body. When using this international standard, the need for standard belts is completely eliminated.

Most modern cars are equipped with a similar security system. In most cases, these elements are indicated by special symbols and are located at the edges of the seats.

2) Installing the car seat using a standard belt. This method of securing child seats is used in the absence of the Isofix system, but there is a built-in fastening function using standard belts.

When using this safety device, you must carefully study the instructions for the car seat; if you have any questions, you should refer to the detailed operating instructions for this brand of car.

3) Belt + retainer. This option for fastening the chair must be used in the absence of a system, and the standard seat belts are not fixed or structurally blocked.

To secure the belt, you must use special grooves in the car seat, which are designed to securely fasten the belt and hold the seat in place. To properly secure the child, you should pull the belt all the way out and pass it through special places. If the belt turns out to be too long, you can shorten it by tying a knot.

Additional seat belts

Factory seat belts are three-point and are designed with lumbar and shoulder sections. They are designed to secure a passenger at least 1.5 meters tall and weighing more than 36 kilograms, otherwise (for children) the belt will be located too close to the neck and can cause more harm than good.

To transport children, in addition to a child seat, it is legally permitted to use special adapters that allow you to properly secure a small passenger to ensure his safety. These include special belt pads that allow you to secure the belt in the correct position. For children under three, a slightly different design is provided with an additional strap, taking into account physiological and age characteristics.

When such products are used correctly, their effectiveness is very high and in some cases, in life-threatening cases, is comparable to expensive child seats designed for maximum child safety. In addition to all kinds of belt pads that allow you to properly fix the seat belt, there are boosters - a lower stand with handles through which the position of the belt is fixed.

It is also permissible to use other aids to ensure that the seat belt is properly secured (away from the child's neck). These can also include a pillow that is placed under the child and lifts him higher, as a result of which the belt passes along the chest away from the neck.

Using any means to properly secure the seat belt can save a child’s life in the event of dangerous situations. If there is no car seat according to the child’s age, or in the event of an unexpected trip with children in a car without a child seat, it is necessary to fasten the child using any of the above means.

"Child in the car" sign

A sign warning about the presence of a child in a car is not required by law and, in fact, does not provide any effectiveness or benefit. Usually it is located on the side where the child seat is attached, in the hope that it can reduce the likelihood of an accident, although accidents occur in a split second in most cases and it is unlikely that the driver of a rapidly approaching car will be able to see the sign and react to it before the moment of impact, as they want badge owners.

There are also versions that in the event of a serious accident, such a sticker will inform about the child and he will be rescued faster. A more logical option for using such a sign is to notify other road users that the driver of a car with such a sign can be distracted at any time and they should expect unexpected behavior from the car in front.

How to choose the right child car seat

The car seat must be selected taking into account the age and weight of the child and the fastening system that is available in the car. Child seats with international safety certification are more effective in the event of an accident, but they also cost significantly more.

The main requirement for such seats, in addition to proper fastening, is the tight and safe fixation of the small passenger, taking into account his physiological characteristics.

Tips for transporting a child in a car

There is a generally accepted gradation by weight categories, as well as the location of the car seat depending on weight/age, it operates in accordance with ECE R44/04 and in accordance with domestic GOST.

Below is a table showing how car seats are divided and secured according to the weight and age of the child.

Infants have weak necks and rather large heads (in relation to the body), so they must be placed in a semi-lying position facing the rear of the car body or perpendicularly (depending on age and type of cradle), since in the event of emergency braking or an accident there will be there is no inertial push that could damage a fragile organism.

If it is necessary to transport an infant in the front (when there is only one person in the car in addition to the child and contact with the baby is necessary), it is necessary to disable the front airbag, the activation of which can cause significant harm to the baby, including harm that is incompatible with life.

A child of any age is physiologically more susceptible to injury even during sudden braking, so his transportation must be as safe as possible, for which you should use child seats strictly according to the age and weight of the child, position them correctly or resort to other special restraint devices that fix the belt in the correct position . It must be remembered that neglect of the safety of a small passenger can result in serious injury or death.

New rules for transporting children in cars in 2019

Good afternoon, dear reader.

This article will discuss changes in traffic rules related to the peculiarities of transporting minor passengers in cars.

First, a new rule has been introduced that prohibits leaving small children unattended in a car.

Secondly, the features of using child seats in cars have been changed.

Let's take a closer look at the innovations that came into force on July 12, 2017:

Ban on leaving children in cars

The first change was made to paragraph 12.8 of the traffic rules:

12.8. The driver may leave his seat or leave the vehicle if he has taken the necessary measures to prevent spontaneous movement of the vehicle or its use in the absence of the driver.

It is prohibited to leave a child under 7 years of age in a vehicle while it is parked in the absence of an adult.

After this document comes into force, drivers do not have the right to leave children of preschool age (under 7 years old) in a car without adult supervision (persons over 18 years old).

Please note that this prohibition only applies to parking a vehicle; during a stop (for a period not exceeding 5 minutes), you can leave your child unattended. The differences between the concepts of stopping and parking are discussed in detail in a separate article.

Fine for leaving a child in a car

A fine for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle can be imposed under Part 1 or Part 5 of Article 12.19 of the Administrative Code:

Using child seats and seat belts

Let's consider another innovation, which also applies to the transportation of minor passengers:

22.9. Transportation of children under the age of 7 years in a passenger car and truck cab, which are designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system *, must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child.

* The name of the ISOFIX child restraint system is given in accordance with the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR RS 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles”.

Transportation of children aged 7 to 11 years (inclusive) in a passenger car and truck cab, which are designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system, must be carried out using child restraint systems (devices) that are appropriate for the weight and height of the child , or using seat belts, and in the front seat of a car - only with the use of child restraint systems (devices) corresponding to the weight and height of the child.

The installation of child restraint systems (devices) in a passenger car and the cabin of a truck and the placement of children in them must be carried out in accordance with the operating instructions for the specified systems (devices).

It is prohibited to transport children under the age of 12 on the back seat of a motorcycle.

Until 2017, there were uniform rules for transporting children under 12 years of age in vehicles. The new edition of the traffic rules provides for different rules for transporting children of different ages:

Transportation of children under 7 years old

If a child under 7 years of age is traveling in a vehicle equipped with seat belts or an ISOFIX system, the child must be seated in a child seat (or other type of child restraint).

Transportation of children from 7 to 11 years old (inclusive)

If a child between 7 and 11 years of age is riding in the front seat of a car equipped with seat belts or an ISOFIX system, he must be in a child seat or other restraint device.

If a child between 7 and 11 years of age rides in the back seat of a car or in the cab of a truck, he must either be in a child restraint or be fastened with a seat belt without a seat .

Notice the phrase “inclusive” next to the words 11 years. This word means that in the 11th year the child is still a child and only on the 12th birthday does he become an adult.

Rules for transporting children in a car in 2019

Law on transporting children in a car

If you plan to transport your children in a car, it is important to comply with the requirements and rules for transporting children in a car as prescribed in the traffic rules.

According to the requirements, minor passengers can only travel in the passenger compartment of a car or in the cabin of a truck (carriage of children in the back of a truck in a trailer is prohibited). It is also prohibited to transport children on the back seat of a motorcycle. You cannot carry children in your arms, because in situations that arise during a collision, even at low speed, the weight of the small passenger increases several times, and it is extremely difficult to hold him in your arms. Only a car seat provides maximum safety for a child while driving. Therefore, do not break the rules, no matter how good your intentions may seem.

Traffic rules regarding the specifics of transporting children in cars came into force on July 12, 2017, and there have been no changes since then. In 2017, new fines were introduced for leaving small passengers unattended in a car, the rules for using child car seats in a vehicle and transporting children under 7 and from 7 to 11 years old also changed, and new fines appeared for violating the rules for transporting children in a car.

So, let's look at everything in order. In a car equipped with seat belts, transportation of children under 12 years of age is possible only with the use of a special restraint device. This can be a special chair or a car cradle (depending on the age of the child).

Transportation of infants up to 1 year

In the first months of the baby's life, it is recommended to use a car seat. This is a special device created for babies, there are different categories - up to 10 kg, up to 15, up to 20. The child sits in it completely in a horizontal position. Such a restraint device is installed perpendicular to the direction of travel in the rear seat, while occupying two seats. The child is fastened with special internal belts. You can also transport your child in the front seat - most importantly, with your back to the traffic.

Why is it recommended to use a car seat? The fact is that the baby’s musculoskeletal tissue is not yet developed, making the skeleton quite flexible and vulnerable. At the same time, the weight of the head is approximately 30% of the weight of the body, and underdeveloped neck muscles are not yet able to hold the head during sharp nods. And in the lying position there is practically no load on the neck and spine, which makes the trip safe for the child. Even with sharp braking, nothing threatens him.

Transportation of children under 7 years old

A child under 7 years of age must be transported in a passenger car or in the cab of a truck. They must be designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system.

In simple words, a child under 7 years of age must be in a car seat, or in a special restraint device and a seat belt fastened.

Transportation of children from 7 to 12 years old

The third point is the transportation of children from 7 to 11 years old. Children must also be transported in a car or truck that is designed with seat belts or seat belts and an ISOFIX child restraint system.

Children from 7 to 11 years old can be transported in the front seat of a car, but only with the use of child restraint systems (devices) that correspond to the weight and height of the child. Otherwise - a fine.

Remember that if you are carrying a child in the front seat in a car seat, you must turn off the airbag, which can injure the small passenger in an accident.

Transportation of children over 12 years of age

From the age of 12, you can already forget about a child seat, but only if your child is taller than one and a half meters. If it is lower, it is recommended to use restraint devices even after reaching the age of 12 years.

Now a child can ride in the front seat without restraints, fastened only with adult seat belts.

Using child seats and seat belts

As a rule, an infant carrier or car seat is secured using standard car belts or using special brackets. In a car, the fastening device is installed perpendicular to the movement of the car.

Special car restraints are selected according to the age and weight of the child. For example, a car seat is used for children up to 6 months, from 6 months to 7 years - a car seat is required, from 7 to 11 - a car seat or restraint device.

When transporting children in a car, the car seat can be installed both in the front and in the back. Let us remind you once again that installing a seat in the front seat means that it is necessary to disable the airbags, since if they are activated, they can injure the child.

When transporting a child over 12 years of age (height greater than 150 cm), the airbag must be activated.

Fines for transporting children in a car

New rules that came into force in 2017 provide for fines for failure to comply with the requirements for transporting children in a car.

The traffic police fine for the absence of a child seat is now 3,000 rubles for an ordinary driver, 25,000 for an official, 100,000 rubles for a legal one. To pay the fine you are given 70 days from the date of drawing up the protocol. A 50% discount applies to a traffic police fine for the absence of a child restraint device (seat, booster seat or belt pad). If a police officer notices a child without a seat in a car, he will definitely stop your car.

Leaving in the car

If traffic police officers detect a violation, the driver will be held administratively liable under Part 1 of Art. 12.19 of the Administrative Code in the form of a warning or a fine in the amount of 500 rubles. If this violation is recorded in Moscow or St. Petersburg, the fine will be 2,500 rubles.

This is designed to prevent the possibility of leaving children in danger associated with overheating, heat stroke, hypothermia, and fear. This will also help to avoid a situation where a vehicle starts moving with unattended children inside, putting the children's lives in serious danger.

Improper transportation of children

Traffic police officers can fine you not only for the absence of a child seat, but also for the fact that it is installed incorrectly.

A child seat or carrycot must never be installed facing backwards. This could result in death or serious injury in the event of an accident or even sudden braking.

The second thing that relates to improper transportation of children is transportation of children in a car in the arms of adults. This is deadly, because upon impact, the baby will fly out of the parent’s hands, which is fraught with tragic consequences.

The car seat must match the weight and height of the child. You have to buy it with him. You should not buy a restraint device “for show” - you should choose a quality product that is suitable for your child.

Children should never be transported in the back or trailer. Also, children under 12 years of age cannot be passengers on motorcycles, even if they wear the necessary equipment and a helmet.

Expert commentary

Roman Petrov lawyer:

— Motorists often wonder: is it possible to transport children in the front seat? It's time to dispel the myth that the child should be in the back. A minor can ride in front - that's a fact. You can install an infant carrier (up to 6 months), a car seat or a restraint system here. A child from 12 years of age can also ride in front without a seat, the main thing is to fasten him with seat belts.

You can only be fined if your child is not traveling in a seat or car seat. The Code of Administrative Offenses stipulates that a fine can be issued for a child in the front seat only if he is transported without a car seat.

There are also no specific rules on where exactly a child can be transported. You can install the seat either behind the driver or in the middle. Where exactly in the car he will sit is up to you. But the safest place is considered to be behind the driver. However, in this position it is completely inconvenient to observe the child. The best option would be to seat the young passenger in the second row in the center. It will be convenient for the driver to keep an eye on the baby through the mirror in the cabin. If the child is capricious and does not want to sit in the back, then the best solution would be to install a seat in the front, following all the rules described above. The most important thing is to turn off the airbags.

The safest place in the car for a child is in a seat

Every family that has the good fortune to raise a small child is obliged to follow the “short hand” rule for his safety. It means that you should not let the child go further from you than the hands of an adult can reach. This way you will always be able to control the situation when it comes to small children. This rule is also valid (with some reservations) in the case of transporting a child by car.

Common truths from the traffic police

Since almost every family with children has their own car, adults simply have to know where the safest place in the car is for a child. Discussions on this matter are being held on various Internet forums, in European communities, as well as among compatriots.

The statistics are very varied, but I still want to hear an official answer from representatives of those in power. According to Russian legislation, small and not so toddlers under 12 years of age must be transported exclusively in a car seat (otherwise a fine!). But there are no clear instructions on where to install it; the parent must decide this issue on their own.

Five years ago, as part of the all-Russian project “Little Big Passenger,” the following recommendation was nevertheless issued: “The safest place is in the middle of the back seat, that is, in the center of the car.” Although some European experts on the issue of child car injuries are of the opinion that traveling in a car is, in any case, a dangerous thing. Therefore, no matter what position you choose, the main thing is that everyone is comfortable. Even with a car seat, the danger is also great, it’s just that the percentage varies.

Choosing a seat in the car depending on the category of car seat

In order for children to truly occupy the safest place in the car, it is necessary to take into account the age and category of the purchased seat:

It is recommended to install bassinet chairs for the smallest (categories 0 and 0+) in the back seat, with the headboard facing away from the door. The cradle in this case is perpendicular to the movement of the car. If the mother is driving, then this type of car seat for infants is often fixed in the front passenger seat, but against the direction of the car. The seat belt should be below the child's shoulder and there should be no airbag in this area.
Seats of categories 1, 2, 3 can be fixed both in the front and in the rear. For the first, a five-point belt is required. In this case, children sit in the direction of travel of the car. The only difference is in the fixation of the main belt (for 1 - slightly above shoulder level, for 2 - through the center of the shoulder). Boosters (the third category of seats) do not have a back or side walls.

It must be remembered that the safest place in the car to install a child car seat will only be truly safe if the seat of any category is correctly installed and secured.

Attaching a car seat to the front passenger seat

Statistics inexorably tell adults that this option is the most unsafe for transporting not only children, but any passenger. This is explained by the fact that when danger threatens, the driver, as a rule, moves the vehicle to the left in order to protect himself from a collision. Accordingly, the right front corner of the car is the first to be exposed to impact.

In a frontal collision, the child will also be in imminent danger, especially if the airbag deploys. Therefore, it is impossible to call this option for fixing a child car seat “the safest place in the car in case of an accident.” Although there are still advantages: it is convenient for the mother to observe how the baby behaves, he is in the field of view and in the “short arm”.

Location of the car seat in the rear seat behind the passenger seat on the right

Encouraging statistics indicate that this option is very acceptable. The seat in the right rear receives the fewest impacts in an accident, because it is located in the opposite corner from oncoming traffic. To make it convenient for parents to see their child (after all, this is almost impossible in the rearview mirror), you can install an additional mirror in the car interior. This will make it easier to monitor the actions of the little passenger.

The benefits don't stop there. The right side is the safest place in the car in the sense that it is correct to seat the baby and drop him off from the sidewalk rather than the roadway.

It’s safe for a child to be behind the driver – a debunked myth

For a long time, it was believed that children should sit in the back left. This is true in three respects:

As a rule, manufacturers of most car brands make the left side stronger.
In the event of an accident, the driver automatically moves his left side away from the impact.
In the rearview mirror you can clearly see what the child is doing. And the accompanying person in the front passenger seat can easily reach the baby with his hand in this position.

But there are also three elements that indicate that behind the driver is not the safest place in the car for a child in a seat:

Children have to be seated and dropped off not from the sidewalk, but in close proximity to the roadway.
In addition, oncoming traffic flow is located very close to this place.
In case of any problems with the child, it is difficult for the driver, who is alone in the car, to reach the seat behind him while driving.

The favorite for the safety of child seat placement is the golden mean

Listening to the advice of both domestic and foreign experts, it is best to seat your precious child directly in the middle of the back seat sofa. If you visually imagine the location of the child seat inside the car in the back, in the middle, then it is obvious how much free space there is around it.

In the event of a crash, this seat is 16% safer (according to statistics from case studies at the University of Buffalo) than all other child seat positions. This is indeed, if not the safest place in the car for a child seat, then certainly to the greatest extent among the variations discussed above. It is surrounded by space that is not compressed during a collision (including lateral ones on both sides).

Methods for attaching a child seat in a car

When purchasing a seat to transport your child in a car, you should carefully study the instructions and attach it strictly according to it. Two methods are being considered:

The car seat is secured in the selected position with the seat belts included with the vehicle. There are situations when the belts are not long enough. In this case, you absolutely cannot lengthen them yourself. It is better to contact a car repair shop or an authorized dealer for such a service.
A less popular option, the Isofix System, has metal guides built into the child seat with special fasteners at the ends. Durable brackets are installed directly into the car seat.

Although, when choosing the second option and fixing the chair with it, the fact is fully confirmed that the safest place in the car is in the back in the middle. The risks in this case are significantly lower than when fastening with seat belts, despite the fact that the Isofix system is less popular. This is due to the fact that not all cars are equipped in this way.

How to place children in a car if there are several of them

In many cars, the middle seat in the back is not suitable for a car seat (for example, due to the built-in folding armrest). In addition, if there are three children in a family, then it will be problematic to place three car seats at once in an average car.

It is best to place two children in the back seat as close to the center as possible. Or act on the principle: the younger, the more necessary it is to protect the baby’s trip. Therefore, parents should rationally decide where the safest places in the car will be for each of their little passengers.