CHILD SEAT APPROVAL: THE ECE AND I-SIZE SAFETY STANDARDS. WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
EUROPEAN SAFETY STANDARDS
Every child in Europe must travel in a child seat in the car until they are 12 years old or 150 cm tall. Between 0 and 12 years old, your child's body is constantly changing. It can be difficult to always choose the right child seat. There are precise safety standards and legal regulations to help you with this.
We will inform you about the current legal standards.
What does the orange test mark say?
The orange test mark is an important part of your child seat. Only with this mark is your child seat legally approved. It says the following about your child seat:
1. Product name
2. Type approval
3. European Testing and Approval Standard (R-129)
4th European Authorization Indicator
indicates the country in which the seat was registered
1 = Germany
2 = France
…
5. Registration number
6. Name and address of the manufacturer
7. Seat serial number
GOOD TO KNOW: ALL AVOVA CHILD SEATS ARE APPROVED BY THE GERMAN FEDERAL MOTOR TRANSPORT OFFICE.
What is i-Size?
i-Size is part of the new R-129 approval standard and supports ISOFIX as the best fastening method for increased safety. ISOFIX was developed because many child seats that use a car's 3-point belt are incorrectly or incorrectly fastened. i-Size applies to child seats that secure children from birth up to a height of 135 cm.
With the introduction of i-Size, the old approval standard ECE R44/04 will remain valid for at least five years.
Many parents wanted to know what the differences are between ECE R44/04 and R-129. That's why we have a short overview for you here:
There is another big difference between R44 and R-129:
For R-129, dummies equipped with a particularly large number of measuring sensors are used in the crash tests. This allows for better data collection. The so-called Q dummies also react more realistically than the P dummies used in the tests for R44.
i-Size stands for more safety and easier handling.
ECE R44/04 – the previous approval standard for child car seats in Europe
The approval standard of the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) R44/04 came into force in 2005. It distinguishes between 5 child seat categories, also known as groups. Each group represents a specific age and weight class. However, the approval standard also allows so-called combination groups, which include several age and weight classes. This makes choosing the right child seat unnecessarily complicated for many parents.
All child seats that comply with the ECE R44/04 standard can still be used. Look for the orange test mark on your child seat. All previous safety standards are no longer permitted. Therefore, you should no longer use the corresponding child seats.
Are you unsure whether your child seat complies with the current approval? Then contact us. We will be happy to help you!