Seat back to the road? Our tips for traveling safely
Positioning the seats with their backs to the road instead of facing the road is a practice inspired by astronauts! Yes, in the 1960s, Swedish professor Bertil Aldman noticed that NASA astronauts were positioned in the opposite direction to the path to spread the acceleration forces onto their backs and thus reduce the impact. Aldman said this principle could also be applied to car seats: thus the swivel seat was born, which is also used when children travel in the rear seats facing the car.
The safety of the return journey on the road
The smaller he is, the less a child's body is able to properly support and hold his head, in proportion heavier than the rest of his body. It is therefore particularly important to do everything possible to ensure that the child's head is protected in the event of a collision.
When a frontal crash occurs, if the child travels facing the road, his head will be thrown forward, while his body will be held by the harness of his car seat. Imagine the shock exerted on his neck and skull.
Behind the road, for the same type of accident, the pressure is exerted differently: the forces are distributed on the child's back, better armed to withstand the shock. In addition, the head is pressed against the car seat in the same way as the rest of the body, the risk of cervical damage is greatly reduced.
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Back to the street: what does the law say?
According to R44 / 04, a child must travel in a back-to-road position up to 9 kg, which corresponds to a group 0 or 0+ car seat (i.e. during the entire period of use of such a seat) .
For i-Size approved car seats, however, the R129 standard applies: it is mandatory to use the car seat in the car for at least 15 months.
How old can I be to get my child back on the road?
If the law requires, as we have told you, to keep the baby on the street from birth until he reaches at least the weight of 9 kg or at least 15 months, is there also an age limit not to be exceeded?
Legally, no limits, but of course he must be sure that the position is comfortable for the child and suitable for his size, while remaining safe in a suitable car seat. If these conditions are met, we recommend that you leave your child with your back to the road for as long as possible, the safest way to travel. According to a study conducted by Volvo, in an on-road car seat, the average child is 70% less likely than in a road-facing car seat.
So, if little Swedes stay on the road for up to 4 years (up to about 18 kg), the American Academy of Pediatrics supported the Scandinavian recommendations stating that children shouldn't travel across the road for at least 2 years. , the longer you are patient, the more the baby's skull will form and the stronger the neck will be, able to withstand possible trauma.
Which car seats are suitable for the back-to-road position?
Some car seats are specially designed to be placed back to the road throughout their life. This is for example the case with the Sirona M2 Cybex car seat, which is designed for children up to 105 cm, or around 4 years old. Highly recommended, this car seat is among the best and is adaptable to perfectly accompany your baby from birth to his early years. At the top of the safety, it has an energy-absorbing shell and linear side impact protection. Side installation, is equipped with isofix system and strut, so check before purchasing that your car is compatible with these types of fasteners.
As we mentioned in another article, there are also swivel car seats, such as the Dualfix model from Britax Römer, which rotate 360 ° to facilitate the installation of the child. Like the Cybex car seat, it is one of the most recommended car seats. in terms of safety and quality.
Note that these two models can also be placed facing the street if desired once the regulatory limit is reached.
However, if you are convinced that you want to leave your child behind for as long as possible, we invite you to equip yourself with the Axkids Move car seat. After successfully passing the Swedish Plus Test, you can use it with children measuring up to 125cm and weighing up to 25kg (usable from 9kg).
Is it more difficult to install a car seat on the road?
It is no more complicated to install a car seat back to the road rather than one facing the road: in both cases, the installation can be done using the seat belt or the isofix system.
If you want to place your child with your back to the road for as long as possible, as recommended, but are afraid of having difficulty positioning them correctly once they have grown, we recommend that you equip a swivel car seat, as mentioned above.
While the major crash test associations are unanimous about the usefulness of the shoulder seat, the comfort (or discomfort, rather) of the child remains a concern for many parents. Let's take a look together at the different elements that could pose a problem.
The place for the legs
Once the child grows and exceeds the minimum limit of 9 kg to 13 or 18 kg, it is reasonable to ask if the length of the legs will not be an obstacle to the position back to the road. In fact, babies sit naturally with their legs bent, so they're likely not uncomfortable and don't even feel a lack of space.
The field of view
Contrary to what one might think, the field of view is much wider than the back to the road. The panoramic view offered by the windshield and rear windows is much wider than the obstructed view from the front seats that can be had while facing the road.
Contact with your baby
Does not having eye contact with your baby bother you? Don't panic, there is a very practical and accessible little element to solve this problem: a special mirror that will act as a rearview mirror. For only € 15.99 on Amazon, it will allow you to see your baby as if it were a facing the street.
