There will be an important step in the regulation of child seats in cars, since from today, September 1, there are important changes. From the DGT they inform us of what will change.
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In 1981, the first European standard for child restraint systems was formalized, called ECE R44 Regulation. Although it was updated four times, technological advances eventually forced the approval of another regulation in 2013, the R129 (I-Size). In a decade, the two regulations coexisted, but all that came to an end.
The fact is that since September 2023, no European manufacturer can manufacture chairs under regulation R44Child restraint systems approved to this standard have also not been imported into the EU, although it is true that those already on the market have been sold.
The really important change is experienced from the September 1, 2024while the sale of R44 seats is already prohibited, upon entry into the R129 approval.
All this means that if you buy a child seat from September 1, 2024, you will only be able to buy it if it has the R129 approval.
These chairs approved according to the previous ECE R44/04 standard will be withdrawn from stores and will not be marketed either new or used. In stores you will only be able to find those that have been approved ECE R129.
What will happen in 2024 with the places already sold? Nothing will happen, they will continue to be valid, what will happen is that those that comply with the R129 regulation will be more up to date.
If we talk about what is really important, it is the correct use of a well-approved seat and chosen according to the size of the child so that 75% of the injuries that occur in the event of a child accident. , as the DGT says.
R44 vs R129
What will the new R129 regulation provide for to make it mandatory? The DGT wishes to take stock of the progress of R129 compared to R44 in 6 important points:
- Obligation to use the rear-facing child restraint system until the age of fifteen months.
- The tests will include a side impact test, which on the R44 will not be mandatory.
- Classification of chairs according to the height and size of the child, and not according to age or weight. In the new standard called R129, the range of use of chairs will be indicated according to the height of the child, without there being defined groups, such as the chair for children measuring between forty and eighty-three centimeters. All this can be seen on the new labels.
- You should use the Q-series test dummies instead of the P-series, which have sensors that measure the force of the impact itself in different directions.
- They offer greater compatibility with automobiles.
- Preferably use the Isofix system, although it is true that there are models that will be installed with the seat belt.
Is it possible to distinguish them with the naked eye?
At first, it’s hard to tell which is which. An R44 seat and an R129 are similar, but the most important difference is the materials and engineering used to make them.
If we want to know when is the best time to buy and for which of the two regulations a car seat can be approved, It is necessary to read the orange label that is stuck.
In those of type R129 the name of the regulation and the height of use of the chair will appear.
It’s not always easy to choose
The choice of chairs cannot be considered as something simple. We live in a time, yes, where it is appreciated that administrations and brands have made efforts to further improve security conditions of this type of chairs, which did not even exist a few decades ago.
We believe that these advances deserve to be welcomed, even if they often end up generating confusion among users.
So now you know, before buying, take a good look at the chair and opt for the one that meets the appropriate approvals. This is the best way to buy with the assurance that the product purchased meets your needs and those imposed by the administration in this matter.
