New obligatory standards for children's car seats

Since this September, there is a new standard in Europe regarding car seats. The classification has changed, with a new obligation. And the Isofix attachment becomes essential.

From now on, any car seat sold new in the EU must meet the R129 standards. These are the seats to be installed, and mandatory, for children under 1.35m or 1.50m depending on the country's legislation. Generally the standard applies for children up to 10 or 12 years old. The big difference with the old standard (ECE R44/04) is that the classification no longer uses weight, but height as a reference. Meaning the height that is generally used by the various Highway Codes to set the obligation limits.

15 months rear-facing

The R129 standard was introduced in 2013. It is now the only legal one. It introduces a new obligation: all children must use a rear-facing seat until they are 15 months old, unless they have reached a height of 76cm before this age. Another particularity is that R129 seats with the i-Size label are necessarily with an Isofix attachment, this anchorage is also installed on at least one seat of all cars produced since 2011.

Safer

R129 requires manufacturers to carry out a side collision test in addition to the frontal collision. They are also better adapted to different car seats. It's important to change the seat as soon as the child reaches the maximum height. Too many children suffer (serious) injuries or die because of a poorly fixed or poorly adapted seat. Despite the ban on the sale of R44 seats in the European Union, these seats are still legally valid.