Every driver must protect himself and his passengers. This is especially true when there is a child in the vehicle. In addition, the driver must be as careful as possible on the road and observe all traffic regulations.
There are a number of strict safety regulations for transporting children in a vehicle, which the driver is obliged to implement. Such an approach can save lives in the event of an accident.
Regulations for transporting children in a car
The transport of children in cars is subject to certain requirements according to the stvo. Children are always allowed to ride in the passenger compartment of a car or in the driver’s cab of a truck. The transport of children in the back of the trailer is strictly forbidden. The driver must protect the passengers in the vehicle, taking into account the design features of the vehicle in question.
It is not permitted to transport children under the age of 3 in a vehicle without a safety belt (but there are hardly any such cars left in germany anyway). In a car with safety belts, children under 12 years of age can only be carried in a special restraining device (child seat or car seat). baby-safe).
If there are three children in the back seat of a vehicle and there is not enough room for three child seats, an exception is allowed. In this case, children older than three years of age can be restrained without a child seat using the existing safety belts.
It is strictly forbidden to hold the child in the arm during the journey. In the event of a collision, the weight of the baby increases tenfold, even at low speed. In such circumstances, holding them in the hands would be extremely problematic. The smaller passengers would be exposed to extreme danger.
Photo: adobe stock
Transport of the very youngest
There are some particularities when transporting babies in a car. For this purpose, the installation of a special baby seat on the back seat is foreseen. Such a baby-safe is fastened perpendicular to the direction of travel using the normal car seat belts.
In the infant carrier, the little passenger is secured with straps that hold the child in place. Due to the design of the restraint, the child is positioned lying down, which normalizes the baby’s breathing and protects the fragile bones from excessive stress. Children up to a maximum age of six months are transported in the baby car seat (also called babysafe). Such a restraint takes up a lot of space; alternatively you can use a car seat.
Child seat for the slightly larger
As in the previous case, the child is additionally strapped into such a seat with special belts. The seat itself is secured with the supplied safety belts or brackets. The height of the backrest is individually adjustable. An angle of 30-45 degrees is recommended so that the child is optimally protected in the event of a head-on collision. The child seat provides good support for the child’s head and minimizes the strain on the neck.
To further stabilize the child’s head, you can use special fabric rolls. These provide support for the little passenger on both sides of the vehicle. It is not recommended to use normal towels, as this may cause the baby’s head to fall forward.
Photo: adobe stock
Why is a child seat necessary?
By law, every driver must use a child seat for small children when transporting them. This rule is due to the design characteristics of vehicles. The safety system in the form of the safety belts only works with passengers who are 150 cm tall or taller. If such belts are used with smaller persons, they press uncomfortably on the neck.
The age of twelve years, which is specified in all regulations for the transport of small children, was chosen because the child has usually already reached a height of 150 cm by this time. After that it is already possible to use the normal safety belts.
Which is the best place to attach the baby car seat?
The baby car seat can be fixed not only on the back seat, but also on the passenger seat. To transport the small passengers in this way is not forbidden. The prerequisite in this case is that the airbag is deactivated, because it could cause considerable damage to the child. From the age of twelve, however, the airbag should be activated when someone is transported in the front passenger seat. The safety belts are then the most important protective device.
The most suitable place for attaching a child car seat is the middle rear seat. Statistics show that this is the safest seat and therefore ideal for transporting young passengers.
Classification of child seats
If possible, the child should be actively involved in the selection of a child seat. It should be as comfortable as possible in it. It is important to choose the right child seat, otherwise it will not provide the necessary support. Therefore, when buying, be sure to take into account the weight and size of the small passengers! Look carefully at how the seat is installed and how the baby is strapped in.
The following table contains the detailed classification of child seats.
| Group | weight of the child (kg) | age (years) | characteristics of the child seat |
| 0 | 0-10 | 0-1 | the child is strapped in with a three-point belt with soft pads. |
| 0+ | 0-13 | 0-1,5 | in order to prevent the child’s head from falling forward in the event of a collision, the child seat can, if necessary, be fitted with a safety lock. Be positioned rearward facing on the seat. |
| 1 | 9-18 | 1-4 | the main fastening element here are five-point belts. |
| 2 | 15-25 | 3-7 | the backrest of these child seats is height adjustable. The children are strapped in with the regular safety belts of the car. |
| 3 | 22-36 | 7-12 | such child seats have a special design. On the one hand, they have a stopper for the upper safety belt, and on the other hand, these child seats have the option of removing the backrest. This is important, for example, when the child grows out of such a car seat. |
Finally, we would like to note that car drivers who do not make sure that all passengers are properly buckled up will be fined and given points in flensburg. Take care of your little passengers and follow the traffic regulations.
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