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Most people believe that baby seats in cars are required when traveling at high rate of speed, however, in practice, they are required more in the stop and go city traffic.
The city traffic actually sees more braking and acceleration in a car than highways. Its when the car accelerates or decelerates, the G- Forces put pressure on the infants neck which is vulnerable under the age of 1 year. A rear facing child seat helps negating any effects of sudden braking on the child’s neck.
A rear facing child seat fitted on a car seat adapter.
If the child were to face front and sit, while braking, the child’s head will be thrown forward putting enormous pressure on their neck and can injure them fatally. In a rear facing seat, every time the car stops, the child is pressed against the seat instead of going forward, this way the chances of injuring their neck is minimized.
Note: A child’s head weighs a lot more in comparison to their body than an adult’s head.
Choosing a child seat for your car.
Some manufacturers sell their own brand of car seats to fit into their vehicle. There are other third party manufacturers that specialize in manufacturing of these seats and often supply to car companies as well.
The seat you choose should have the following.
- It should be rear facing for any child below the age of 18 months.
- The seat should be adaptable to multiple cars, get one with a car seat adapter, this way either the adapter or the seat itself will fit in your car.
- The seat should have at least 3 point seat belts. Babies are ingenious and observant, they can get out of almost any tied up situation.
- Get side restraints to stop the head from moving side to side when the baby is sleeping and the car is turning.
- Un-buckling the child from the seat should not take more than a few seconds. Imagine yourself in emergencies, where every second may count.
- Get a seat that is washable in a washing machine, these tend to get very very dirty. The child will throw up, defecate, eat, drink, spill, do everything in this seat.
- Get danglers to hang from the seat, this keeps the child’s attention focused away from the seat belts.
- In warmer climate, a towel or cloth is needed over the seat to minimize sweating.
Where you can buy these? In Bangalore?
If you want to buy one off-the-shelf in Bangalore, you can head to Shopper Stop on Banerghata Road, or Lifestyle in Oasis, Inner Ring Road, Koramangala. You can also get them at Mothercare, 12th Main, Indiranagar.
If you are ok with buying them online, then there are more options available.
How long a child can sit in a child seat?
A child can travel sitting in a child seat at a stretch for 3 hours. It is always better to give them breaks every 100 km or so. The seats can get very binding and hot for a moving child.
A front and rear facing child seat which can be used even after 18 months.
Booster Seats
When the child is above the age of 18 months, he or she can then use a booster seat to sit on. By this age, the kid’s neck is strong enough and can tolerate more forces on them. A booster seat faces the right direction and lets the kid watch out of window while traveling. The main purpose of the booster seat is to assure that the kid is snugly held by the seat belts. Using a booster seat to just increase the kid’s ride height is not a good idea.
Booster seats are available in many form and sizes and can be used by a kid for the next 4 years.
A booster seat for older children.
Do not place a child of under 18 months on a booster seat unless directed so by it’s user manual. Most children under the age of 18 months should be placed in rear facing child seats.
Child seats and airbags
Most modern cars have airbags for both the front seats. Child seats are to placed only on rear seats unless the child needs attention or the parent is traveling alone. In such cases, switch off the passenger side airbags for the safety of the child. In a rear facing seat, an airbag will do more harm than good in the the event of an accident.
If your car does not have a airbag override control, place the child seat only on the rear seats.
Addresses in Bangalore
Shoppers Stop
Commerce@Mantri, N.S.Palya, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, KA. 560076. Phone:080 – 5121 5681-4. Store timings:
Lifestyle
Adarsh Opus, W – 76, Door No. 1, Campbell Road, Austin Town, Bangalore – 560 047. Tel: 080 – 2556 4555
Lifestyle Koramangala
Oasis Centre. #30, Salarpuria Tech Point, Inner Ring Road, Koramangala. Bangalore – 560 095. Tel: 080 – 4027 6400
Mother Care
Icon-Mall, 12th Main, 5th Cross, Indira Nagar, Bangalore. Tel: 080 - 25213009
Some illustrations that may help you decide on a car seat.
Source - http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/injury/
Source - http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/injury/
Source - http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/injury/
Visit here for more information and detail.
In addition to the above, one has to also make sure that the child is not capable of taking off the seat belt and climbing out of the car seat. I have recently realized this as our kid turned 1.5 years and can pretty much open all belt clasps.