From 1 September 2024, child car seats with R44 approval will no longer be allowed for sale. Only those identified with the R129 standard, also known as i-Size, will be allowed for sale.
Since last year, the manufacture of R44 child restraint systems on European soil has been banned, as has their import into Europe. Now comes the ban on selling them in stores. However, they can be used, there is no obligation to buy new ones. “In Spain, 85 percent of the child seats in stores are already i-Size,” says Joan Forrellad, general secretary of the Spanish Alliance for Child Road Safety. To identify them, you must look for a orange label.
The ECE R44 regulation has been in force since 1982, although it has been updated four times since then to improve child safety. A child seat is essential for transporting children 1.35 metres or less in height, and there are different types depending on their weight and height. Different studies indicate that it reduces the risk of death by 75% and the risk of injury by 90%. That is why it is mandatory to carry them and there are fines for not doing so (200 euros to be paid by the driver, without deduction of points).
Differences between ECE R44 and R129
The key is that categories are now set based on the child’s heightinstead of the weight indicated by the ECE R44 standard. But, above all, they are safer. Firstly, because they are subjected to more exhaustive impact tests, such as side collision tests in which more modern dummies are also used, with a greater number of sensors to detect damage. These are some advantages:
- Better head and neck protectionthe parts that suffer the most in the case of babies and children up to four years old.
- Isofix anchorsto attach them more quickly and safely to the seat, as long as it has compatible fixing points (there are models that are installed with the seat belt, according to the DGT).
- Until they are 15 months old, they must be used facing backwards, although some models can be used up to 105 cm in height (between four and five years). Previously, this was mandatory up to 9 kg.
According to figures provided by the DGT, at least 1,000 children die in Europe and 80,000 suffer serious injuries. Many of these deaths could have been avoided if they had travelled with the appropriate restraint systems and measures.
