Booster new rules. Boosters for children in the car: rules for selection and features of use

14/07/2017 - 09:24

A number of amendments to the traffic rules that have entered into legal force regarding the requirements for transporting young passengers under 12 years of age have significantly changed the requirements for child restraints. Now parents who constantly take their children in the car with them have begun to wonder whether it is possible to use boosters? And if this is permissible, then by what rules?

A booster is a child seat without a backrest, which is only partially analogous to a child seat. The booster does not have seat belts, which means it is not a child restraint seat. Hence the answer to the question asked earlier about whether this seat can be used when transporting a child in a car? Yes, you can, but only when the new traffic rules provide permission not to use a child seat.

Now it is allowed to put a child between 7 and 12 years old back in the car simply on the seat. In this case, it is necessary to fasten car seat belts. To make the young passenger comfortable, he can be placed on a booster. It is prohibited to transport a child under 7 years of age in a booster seat. It is prohibited to transport a child under 12 years of age in front of a booster seat. The new amendments are shown below.

For those who can and want to travel in a car, with the arrival of a baby in the house, the question of the child’s safety arises. Something better than a car seat has not been invented today. Its selection and acquisition is a long and painful process associated with doubts about purchasing a valuable device and “thinning” of the family budget, because none of the parents wants to save on child safety.

However, you can save money here too, without practically reducing the level of security. An increasing number of parents are buying a car booster instead of the long-known restraint devices.

Owners of these devices emphasize the effectiveness of these devices while being relatively cheap. Why is a booster seat cheaper than a classic child car seat? Is it worth buying? At what age and up to what age can it be used? All these questions are relevant and popular for motorist parents.

Types of boosters

A booster seat for children is a special car seat that differs from the classic one in that it does not have a backrest or a complex seat belt system. It is a raised seat with armrests and the usual belt. Boosters differ from each other in the materials from which they are made. The following material options are possible:

• foam;
• plastic;
• metal in combination with other materials.

Regarding the first “foam” version, then this is the most budget choice. They are available in large quantities on the market. Unfortunately, such restraint devices do not fully meet the required degree of safety due to the fairly high fragility of the material. Since during an accident the main force is directed downwards, the seat simply breaks under the weight of the child.

When choosing a plastic booster seat, you need to pay attention to the quality of the plastic and its thickness. The thin plastic frame can also break, like the one described in the budget version.

Seat called booster, made from several layers with metal frame– the safest and most expensive choice. The upper layers of this device are formed from high quality natural materials. In such a booster or car seat, the child will sweat less during transportation.

The third option best meets the requirements in terms of safety and comfort. In addition, when the car is equipped with Isofix mounts, the booster must be purchased for this system. Isofix is ​​a kind of standard for fastening car seats intended for toddlers and infants. In this mounting system, the seats have mating parts that are integral parts of the car. That is, the fastenings are rigid, unlike fastening with car seat belts.

The width of the booster should be sufficient for the child’s comfort. Armrests should also not restrict movement or scratch

When buying a chair, pay attention to the height of the armrests and the internal distance between them, that is, the width of the seat. The width of the space should not be narrow for your child.

Age “interval” for booster

Baby boosters often correspond to group 2-3. It may seem that these numbers indicate the age of the child for whom the car seat is intended. This is wrong. Group 2-3 includes boosters and car seats used for transporting children whose age falls within the range of 3-12 years and weighs 15-36 kg. It follows that car seats are long-lasting products that can serve you for many years - right up to the time when a teenager can drive a car without a car seat (we recommend reading:).

For those who are still concerned about the question of at what age can a child be transported in a booster seat, we can say that there is no definite answer, since the determining factor is not the number of years, but height and weight of the child. Of course, there is a correlation between these parameters and you can give an approximate age.

A group 2-3 booster is suitable for children at least 120 cm tall and weighing at least 15 kg. With less height, the reliability of fixing the child’s body in the chair will suffer. This height approximately corresponds to the age of a child of 5 years. And children can weigh 15 kg even at two years old.

In addition to the above, it is worth noting that there are booster seats of group 1-2-3, adapted for transporting babies weighing 9-36 kg. If your child has grown to the required level in three years, then a restraint device of group 1-2-3 will suit you. To get an idea of ​​what it looks like, take a look at the photo of Nania Dream Animals below.

However, we recommend that you take your time with the purchase, since the booster seat does not provide as much protection as a classic car seat, especially in side collisions. To summarize, we can say that already at the age of three the average child has the opportunity to use the seats of the described model.

Pros and cons of boosters

Like any industrial product, busters have their advantages and disadvantages.

• Minuses

The disadvantages of the described chairs in comparison with classic ones include a lower level of safety. In particular, in a side impact in the event of an accident, the baby may hit the glass. In addition, testing of such restraint devices is not carried out as thoroughly as classic car seats, but according to a simplified method.

• pros

On the other hand, they cost an order of magnitude cheaper, which is their undoubted positive quality. Their price, depending on the design, can range from 500 to 5000 rubles.

Lack of bulkiness, lightness and compactness are additional advantages to the competitive advantages of busters. These qualities are of particular importance for a car with a small interior. The advantages include the convenience of spending time when transporting children, as well as the comfort that is provided by a single-belt fixation, as opposed to a five-point fixation.

Which booster should you choose?

When choosing the mentioned devices, care and scrupulousness will not hurt, because we are talking about the safety of your children. The naive opinion that all types of devices are the same thing, and differ only in price, is not true. There are a variety of nuances, knowledge of which and taking them into account when choosing and purchasing a buser will serve you well. So, first of all, let’s pay attention to quality of child seat material.

Ideally, the busster should consist of 4 layers. These include:

• softening layer;
• plastic layer
• metal carcass,
• fabric covering.

• Material quality

You need to make sure that the seat is neither too hard nor too soft. But it should retain its shape clearly, no dents should remain. Only in this case will comfort for your baby be ensured. During long journeys, a light snack on the go is inevitable. A child's love for refreshing treats will leave marks on the seat from time to time. Based on the above, you should choose a device with a removable cover that can easily be restored to its original form.

• Price

A quality product should cost from 1,500 rubles. Everything that costs less corresponds to both a low level of safety and low quality texture.

• Dimensions

The width and height of the booster seat are of great importance. This important point in choosing cannot be missed if you plan to use the chair for a long time. Since kids grow quickly, you should opt for a wide model.

• Fastening

Equally important is the fastening that you will use after purchasing the car seat. There are models that are simply secured with a basic belt on the car seat. The safety of such a mount is unlikely to satisfy you. The most advanced in this sense are fastening systems such as Latch or Isofix.

Popular offers

• Booster Basic from Graco

A nice chair with no backrest, designed for children 4-12 years old, called Booster Basic, is offered to those interested by the well-known Western company Graco. This product allows you to load up to 36 kg. Among the advantages, it should be noted that it is easy to clean from dirt. The top layer can be removed and placed in the washing machine, and the metal and plastic of the remaining parts of the device are wiped with a damp sponge. It also has adjustable armrests that will rise as the user grows.

• Quasar by Chicco

A manufacturer of special furniture for the younger generation, Chicco, offers a buser with the bright name Quasar. The product belongs to group 2-3, intended for users weighing over 18 kg. Its advantages include unprecedented lightness (weight less than 1 kg), cotton among the materials used and a removable cover. Quasar costs from 4,000 to 5,000 rubles - more expensive than its analogues. But, as stated, its convenience and comfort are beyond all praise.

• Heyner

An alternative to the above models is a line of busters with different parameters from the German company Heyner. All of its products are respected by pediatricians and approved by orthopedists. The company's products are certified in accordance with ISO standards. Special manufacturing technology provides for thermoregulation. In summer the baby will not overheat, and in winter he will not be hypothermic. The Isofix fastening system has not been forgotten either.

• Clek Ozzi

Among the offerings, the product under the Clek Ozzi brand stands out. This busper is designed for large children. It can be used by users weighing up to 54 kg. However, it is not heavy, is easy to use, and is also comfortable thanks to high armrests and seat belts.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal Psychology and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology

Not so long ago - . And today there will be a note about children and traffic rules.

The question came up suddenly. We carry our eldest in the back seat on a booster seat, because it hasn’t fit in a child seat for a couple of years now. But the other day, I had to fold down both backrests of the rear seat, and there was nowhere for the eldest to go. I mean, there is only room left in the front. Naturally, the question arose - is it possible to transport it on a booster seat in the front seat. I knew for a long time that children can, in principle, be transported there, and even those under 12 years old, and paragraph 22.9 of the traffic rules is proof of this:

22.9. Transportation of children is permitted provided that their safety is ensured, taking into account the design features of the vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age must be transported in vehicles equipped with seat belts. using child restraints appropriate for the weight and height of the child, or other means that allow the child to be fastened using seat belts provided for by the design of the vehicle, and in the front seat of a car - only with the use of child restraints .

But whether it was possible to use a booster for this was not clear.

Moreover, the forums were full of messages - ranging from innocent ones, like “I was fined 3 thousand for transporting a child in a booster seat in the front seat,” to angry and accusatory ones, and having nothing to do with the issue under consideration, like “the issue of the safety of my own children stands disproportionately above questions of the “legal level””, “Don’t you really feel sorry for your child” and “what is more important to you - the life and safety of YOUR child, or saving a few LOUSY rubles???”. The second category of people is surprising, because... The question is not asked on the topic: is it worth it or not to carry children under 12 years old in the front seat in a booster seat. It is clear that, all other things being equal, we need to put him back. The question is whether it is legal to transport children in the front seat using a booster if it is not possible to seat them in the back.

In other words, is a booster a special child restraint device, or are they only devices equipped with their own belts? In order to find out, I started studying legal practice. And here's what I dug up.

Of course, the majority of traffic cops claim that the first part of the paragraph from clause 22.9 of the traffic rules, namely:

should be carried out with using child restraints corresponding to the weight and height of the child, or other means allowing the child to be secured using a seat belt provided for by the design of the vehicle

claims that the booster is precisely by other means , which allows you to fasten a child using seat belts, and not a child restraint system at all, so it cannot be installed in the front seat. To this we can only answer that they did not read GOST R 41.44-2005 very carefully (uniform regulations regarding restraint devices for children in motor vehicles). Because if they read it carefully, they would understand that another means is, for example, a special fastening that allows an adult seat belt to be lowered from the child’s neck to chest level. And a booster seat is just a type of child seat, similar to those child seats that do not have their own belts, are designed for adult children, and are fastened together with the child with a regular belt, i.e. this is the 3rd group from 22 to 36 kg, and often - .

However, the explanation of this fact is poorly understood by individual traffic police representatives, and then they have to go to court. And here, fortunately, the court is based not on the hysterical cries of some individuals in the forums, but on industry standards. And court decisions say the following - yes, boosters are child restraints if this is confirmed by the instructions

and the corresponding certificate, which the court requests from the sellers (it is clear that the driver is not required to have a copy of it and carry it with him). In order not to be unfounded, I am posting the court decisions that I picked up on the appropriate forum:

It should be noted that this is not the only precedent; just a month ago, the court again sided with a car owner who was illegally punished for putting his child in a booster seat in the front seat.

In general, the result is this:

1) Of course, if possible, the child should be seated in the back.

2) If there is no way, then you can put him in a booster seat in the front seat. But. Remember that this can only be done in case of an emergency and unforeseen situation - you need to go, but there are no other options. This should not become a rule. That's why:

a) Be extremely careful and careful on the road.

b) If there is an airbag, turn it off. Your facial bones of the skull are strong and will withstand a blow from a turnip on a pillow, although your nose, of course, will still be broken. And the child will have it much worse.

c) Move the seat in which the child is sitting - as far back as possible.

d) Be prepared that no matter what, the traffic police will do their best to fine you for this. They also have a plan and have nowhere to go. In this case, print out court decisions, for example - this

or the photos given above, let the traffic police representative first familiarize yourself with them, preferably using a dictaphone, and inform them that you will then go to court, then for reimbursement of the costs that you will incur due to the fact that instead of work you will have to attend court meeting, and then to the prosecutor’s office, with a complaint that despite the fact that you had previously and demonstrably warned them that this was not an offense, they exceeded their official powers and issued a report. It’s better to catch those who carry children in their arms. If it doesn’t help, take a photo of the child in the booster, the booster itself, write in the protocol that when placing the child in the booster, you were based on the instructions of the manufacturer and previously made court decisions. Further, if you feel the strength to defend yourself, appeal to all of the above in court. If not, contact them, they will tell you how to behave, and for money they will also give you a defender.

And may common sense help you. If you are not guided by it, then even the best seat in the back seat will not save you or your child.

Upd. In 2018, rules for transporting children from 7 to 11 years (inclusive) The car has changed a little. Now, as soon as the child turned 7 years old, you don’t have to use the booster at all in the back (if the child is large), its use is necessary only in the front seat (including using it instead of a child’s car seat - everything is also possible if it corresponds to the weight and height of the child - and this is almost all boosters even ). As soon as you turn 12 years old, you can ride in the front seat without a booster.

For children under 7 years old- everything remains the same: if the instructions for your booster say that it belongs to - that's it, you can use it from both the back and the front from 3 years old. They can transport children in accordance with the classification - weighing from 15 to 36 kg (boosters are child car seats of group II/III that do not have a backrest - quote from the head of the road safety promotion department of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Igor Mikhailushkin). If only the third one - sorry, no, see the previous paragraph.