The most vulnerable population when it comes to road safety is children. Each year, more than 700 children under the age of 15 are killed on European roads and 100 000 are injured (Children, n.d.).

Car seat laws help parents to make the right choices to keep children safe while travelling in the car. If the rules are not followed, the child's safety is put at risk. Below are the car seat legislations recommended at European Union and adopted by EU countries. Additionally, some EU countries have some specific regulations and changes that they have adopted nationally (some examples can be found below): 

• In Italy law is now requiring every vehicle to have an integrated safety device to alert drivers if a child has been left behind in the car seat or on the backseat.
• In Germany and Denmark, child seats are not compulsory for vehicles where there is no space for a third child seat and the child (over 3) sits in the back seat wearing a seat belt (“European Commission - Road Safety,” n.d.)
• In most of the EU countries, such as Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Romania, and Hungary it is not required for children under 3 years old to be transported in a car seat in taxis and need to sit in the back seat (“European Commission - Road Safety,” n.d.).

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1. Mandatory use of child restraint systems

The use of seat belts and child restraint systems on all seats in vehicles equipped with seat belts has been made mandatory in all EU countries by European legislation. Under EU law, children under 1.35 m must use equipment appropriate to their size and weight when travelling by car. After a child reached the height of 1.35 m, 36 kg, or the age of 12 can use an adult seat belt. The driver of the car is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all children travelling by car use an appropriate car seat for their age / height (Child Car Seat Laws in Europe | Rhinocarhire.Com, n.d.).

Even though the EU law sets a minimum standard, some EU countries have additional requirements for child restraint laws that may apply. 

2. Certified Car Seats

Infant and toddler car seats must meet either the ECE R129 (i-Size) or ECE R44/04 standard. ECE R129 is the newest UN car seat regulation introduced in 2013. It is an improvement from the previous ECE R44.04 regulation, with the intention of making car seats easier to use, fit, and provide extra side protection. In comparison to the previous regulation, ECE R129 is based on the children’s height, rather than their weight. If you are purchasing an infant car seat, make sure to check whether they are approved or not, by looking for European standard orange label.  

3. Instalment of Car Seats

A correct instalment of car seats is very important for child safety. According to EU law, the ideal installation for infant car seat is in the center rear-seat, in a rear-facing position. The EU law clearly states that children up to 15 months of age should sit in a rear-facing position with the airbag deactivated to keep them protected in case of any crashes. When the child turns 15 months old, the car seat can be set in a front-facing position with the airbag activated, however, it is recommended to keep the car seat in the center rear seat, in a rear-facing position up to 4 years. (Latest Laws For Car Seats In Europe, n.d.). 

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While there might be a lot to consider when purchasing a child car seat and installing it in your vehicle, laws aim to maximize child safety. If you have any question regarding the safety of your child as car passengers, do not hesitate to get in touch with us! Use the contact form to drop us an email.

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References: 

Admin, S. (2020, December 9). Your Guide to UN-ECE and European Car Seat Laws. Swandoo. https://swandoo.com/blog/child-safety/european-car-seat-laws/

Child Car Seat Laws in Europe | Rhinocarhire.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 14 November 2022, from https://www.rhinocarhire.com/Drive-Smart-Blog/Child-Car-Seat-Laws-Europe.aspx

Children. (n.d.). Retrieved 14 November 2022, from https://road-safety.transport.ec.europa.eu/eu-road-safety-policy/priorities/safe-road-use/children_en

Latest Laws For Car Seats In Europe. (n.d.). Retrieved 14 November 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-laws-car-seats-europe-iceman-tan

European Commission - Road Safety [WWW Document], n.d. . Going Abroad. URL https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/austria/seat_belts_en.htm (accessed 12.10.22).

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