Accessories

Do you ever wonder what your child is doing in the backseat? Or do you have trouble with a Houdini that makes way out of the car seat belts?


The picture above: Mom and dad can see what happens in the backseat while the little boy sits safely rear-facing in the backseat. The picture is taken in a VW Caravelle.

Mirror - If you worry about what's going on in the backseat there are special mirrors that can be fastened on the headrest in the backseat so that you can see your child. The mirror called Easy-View is collision tested.

Belt clips - Many parents struggel with kids who in one way or another gets out of the car seat belt. A belt clip prevents the child from taking of the seat belt and it also locks the belt in the right position.

Soft toys - One can buy soft toys that is special made for children who sits rear-facing. Regardless of what way the child sits it is important to use soft toys, even a teddy bear can cause damage in a car accident. Things that lies loose in the car will double their weight many times when they come flying through the air in a collision. An example in this article HERE.

Backseat cover - If you are afraid of getting dirt on the backseat of the car it is possible to buy a cover that goes from the back of the seat and over the seat cushion.

Sunshade - To protect the child against the sun it is possible to buy sunshades which is made for the car seat.

Where to place the car seat?

According to Trygg Trafikk
it is of greater importance that the child sits rear-facing than where the car seat is placed in the car, but the middle seat in the back is supposed to be the safest place to sit.

Swedish Folksäm says:

• Where is it best to place the child's car seat? If the airbag is turned of or disconnected it is several advantages to have the child in the front seat from a collision security point of view. Collision test shows a slight advantage in frontal collisions if the child sits in a rear facing seat that is leaned onto the dashboard, compared to a rear facing car seat positioned in the cars backseat leaned against the front seat. In a side collision the child is safer in the middle seat in the back of the car. The advantages from having the child in the front passanger seat is several... Read more about that HERE.
  

The Swedish organisation NTF says:

Question:
The safest place in the car to install the car seat?
Which place is reckoned to be the safest one for the car seat?

Answer:
Which place is safest is impossible to say before the accident has occurred. To install the car seat in the passenger seat leaned against the dash board gives a firm ***** to lean the car seat against. The dashboard is stronger than for example the back of the front seats.

The driver has more direct contact with the child if the child is placed in the front passenger seat. If you place the child rear facing in the back seat you cannot directly see what happens to your child if it suddenly screams, coughs or does something else that many parents would react to. If you have the child next to you in the passenger seat you can take one quick look at the child to see what has happened.

To bend down to pick up things during the car trip most people know is dangerous. Still some people do so. To prevent this things like passifierholder that can be fastened to the child cloths is invented. Read more HERE.

The picture above shows a seven months old boy in his HTS BeSafe iZi Kid car seat.

When placing a car seat in the front passenger seat: If one has got a very uneasy child it could be an idea to place the child in the front passenger seat, the child could be calmer if it sees mom or dad and the driver can keep focus on the traffic and driving the car. Make sure that the airbag is turned off! If one places a child in a rear facing car seat in front of an active airbag it could potentially be lethal and it is illegal by law!

Is the airbag disconnected?
If the airbag is disconnected in a brand approved garage or turned of with a key(not just any key but a key especially made for the cars airbag) it should be safe. If one uses the key to turn off the airbag one must make sure that the airbag is turned off every time one seats the child in the front passenger seat. The most dangerous thing about disconnecting the airbag with the key is human error. One some cars it is possible to get the airbag on the passenger side totaly removed.