At What Age Can Child Safety Seats Be Used?
2 Answers
Child safety seats can be used starting at 1 year old, and are generally suitable for children from birth to 14 years of age. Car child safety seats, also known as child restraint systems, are specially designed seats for children of different ages (or weights) that are installed in cars to effectively improve child passenger safety. Child safety seats can be combined with additional devices such as portable cribs, infant carriers, auxiliary seats, or collision protectors. In the event of a car collision or sudden deceleration, child safety seats can reduce the impact force on children and limit their body movement to minimize injuries, ensuring the safety of child passengers.
Child safety seats should indeed be used from the very first day your baby is born! When we first brought our little one home, we used a rear-facing infant seat to protect their tiny body from impact injuries. Babies are most vulnerable between 0-2 years old, so it's recommended to stick with this type of seat until they exceed 13 kg in weight or reach the seat's height limit. After that, switch to a forward-facing seat, which can be used until around age 4. Then, until the child turns 7 or reaches 145 cm in height, a booster seat should be used. The key point is not to rely solely on age—selection should be based on weight and height since every child grows at a different pace. Safety data also shows that correctly installed seats can reduce the risk of child fatalities by 70%. In short, from birth to early elementary school, this protection is essential to keep your child safe as they grow.
