booster seats Archives - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

What Parents Auto Know About The Different Types of Car Seats

vuyi on April 19, 2021

Parents should not only understand car seat categories but also need to strap their toddlers in at all times.

-vuyi mpofu, editor, heels & horsepower magazine

I find it truly mind boggling that some parents elect not to strap their infants and toddlers into appropriate child car seats; what is also incredulous, is that they themselves securely buckle themselves in. When you consider that most motorists drive above the speed limit as well as drive distracted my sense of bewilderment increases all the more.

Similar to seat belts, car seats are an essential piece of safety apparatus. They are built to withstand tremendous amounts of pressure in the event of an accident and when used correctly, could save your child’s life.

It is imperative that parents ensure that their children travel in appropriate child restraints, which:

Conform to the United Nations standard, ECE Regulation 44.04 (or R 44.03) or to the new i-size regulation, R129. Look for the ‘E’ mark label on the seat.
are suitable for your child’s weight and size
are correctly fitted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Parents are responsible for their child’s safety and it is an unforgivable act of selfishness not to strap them in.

– vuyi mpofu, editor heels & horsepower magazine

There are many different types of child seats available. These are divided into categories, according to the weight of the child. Car seats correspond broadly to different age groups, but it is the weight of the child that is most important when deciding what type of child seat to use.

Here are the various categories parents should know when shopping for a child’s car seat.

Type of Child Restraint	Weight Range	Approx. Age Range
Rearward-facing baby seat	Group 0: 0 – 10kg Group 0+: 0 – 13kg i-size : Not based on weight, but check child’s height is within the range for the seat	0 to 6 – 9 months 0 to 12 – 15 months Up to at least 15 months
Combination seat (Rearward & Forward-facing)	Group 0+ and 1 : 0-18 kg Group 0+, 1 & 2 : Birth to 25 kg	0 to 4 years 0 to 6 years
Forward-facing child seat	Group 1 : 9-18 kg Group 1, 2 and 3 : 9 – 36 kg	9 months to 4 years 1 to 11 years
High-backed Booster Seat	Group 2 : 15 – 25 kg Group 2 and 3 : 15 – 36 kg	4 to 6 years 4 to 11 years
Booster Cushion	Group 2 and 3 : 15 – 36 kg Group 3 : 22 – 36 kg	4 to 11 years 6 to 11 years

You and your family will never overcome the loss of your child should you be involved in an accident

– vuyi mpofu, editor heels & horsepower magazine

Parents are responsible for their child’s safety and it is an unforgivable act of selfishness not to strap them in. The fact that children don’t like car seats and prefer the freedom of jumping about on the seats in a moving car, does not excuse parents from doing the right thing.

Granted, some little ones scream blue murder at the suggestion of being buckled up and rather than fight with the, most parents relent. After all, who wouldn’t opt for a peaceful drive? However, there are two important things to remember about strapping your child:

Your child will eventually stop making a fuss irrespective of how loudly they protest.
You and your family will never overcome the loss of your child should you be involved in an accident

Make it a rule that everyone in the car is buckled up, no matter the distance of your travels. It’s the loving thing to do.

Simplifying the different types of car seats

vuyi on October 14, 2020

A car seat is one of the safest to transport your bundle of joy is in a properly installed car seat. There are many different types of car seat brands and it will take considerable effort and time to research the seat best suited for your child and family.

Car seats can be divided into categories based on the child’s age and weight. If you are in the market for a car seat, take a look at the table below:

Type of Child Restraint	Weight Range	Approx. Age Range
Rearward-facing baby seat	Group 0 0 – 10kg (22 lbs)	Birth to 6-9 months
Group 0+ 0 – 13kg (29 lbs)	Birth to 12-15 months
i-size Not based on weight, but check child’s height is within the range for the seat	Up to at least 15 months
Combination seat (Rearward and Forward-facing)	Group 0+ and 1 0-18 kg (40 lbs)	Birth to 4 yrs
Group 0+, 1 & 2 (55 lbs) Birth to 25 kg	Birth to 6 yrs
Forward-facing child seat	Group 1 9-18 kg (20 – 40 lbs)	9 months to 4 yrs
Group 1, 2 and 3 9 – 36 kg (20 – 79 lbs)	1 to 11 yrs
High-backed Booster Seat	Group 2 15 – 25 kg (33 – 55 lbs)	4 to 6 yrs
High-backed Booster Seat	Group 2 and 3 15 – 36 kg (33 – 79 lbs)	4 to 11 yrs
Booster Cushion	Group 2 and 3 15 – 36 kg (33 – 79 lbs)	4 to 11 yrs
Booster Cushion	Group 3 22 – 36 kg (48 – 79 lbs)	6 to 11 yrs

image courtesy of Wheel Well

What are ISOFIX fittings?

vuyi on June 25, 2020

There is much talk about child in-car safety and one of the most common ways to ensure the safety of your precious cargo is with the aid of ISOFIX fittings. But what exactly are they and how do they work?

The word ISOFIX is derived from the words “International Safety Organization” (ISO) and “Fixation” (FIX). It is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger vehicles. They are U-shaped brackets welded to the chassis of a car for the sole purpose of securing an ISOFIX compliant child seat or base. Almost all cars come standard with ISOFIX points. They are not optional extras nor can they be removed. Should the car owner not need to use them, they remain unobstructive and do not interfere with passenger seating comfort.

Why do I need them?

Prior to ISOFIX fittings and ISOFIX compliant car seats, there was a myriad of different sizes and shaped of car seats on the market. It can’t have been easy for parents to know which car seat was best for their child. ISOFIX however was designed to give parents peace of mind and security, and by virtue of their design, added protection for children in the event of an accident.

Does my car have them?

Most manufacturers mark the location of the ISOFIX fittings with either the words ISOFIX or a symbol. Some are covered with hard plastic flaps whereas others are covered by the upholstery of the vehicle. They are generally located either in the front passenger or rear seats.

How do I find them?

To identify them, push your hand through the gap where the backrest and seat meet and run it across from one end to the other. Within seconds you will come across the first metallic U-shaped fitting. Continue sliding your hand across the gap until you locate the second.

What do they do?

Those with more grey hair than they care to admit will remember a time when in-car child safety meant securing the car seat with the use of seatbelts and a prayer for the best! ISOFIX fittings however, keep the car seat firmly in place drastically reducing the possibility of your child tumbling out of his seat in the event of an emergency braking scenario.

Asides offering optimal safety, ISOFIX and compliant products include:

Ease of use
Quick and simple to install
Convenience

ISOFIX fittings in a car are so important that they have become major considerations in the car buying process. They minimise the risk of incorrectly installing a car seat and provide a solid and permanent connection between the car and the framework of the child seat. Should you be in the family way, ISOFIX compliant car seats are a bit pricey but then again, what price wouldn’t you pay to ensure your child’s safety?

The everyday habit which cost us our daughter’s life

vuyi on May 11, 2020

I was hesitant to meet with Tinus and Elize Strydom. I knew their story would be difficult to hear and even more challenging to write about. On the one hand I wanted to cover their story but on the other, I was petrified at the thought of hearing it.
Vuyi Mpofu, Editor – heels and horsepower magazine

Settling into the seats across the table from me, Tinus leans towards Elize and plants a light kiss on her forehead. She sighs happily, throws a shy glance at me, and visibly relaxes her shoulders. I don’t quite know where to begin and my hesitation is visible because Elize reaches for my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

“Thank you for seeing us,” Tinus begins.

“This isn’t easy but we have to tell other parents how we lost our son. It would be horrible to hear that this happened to someone else.”

I nod in empathetic agreement and he continues.

It had begun to drizzle lightly. Nothing hectic, just a soft patter…

Here’s our story…

“We were on our way back to Johannesburg after spending time with family in Empangeni. Before departing on our 6 hour drive Elize and I had agreed to share driving responsibilities and stick to the 120km/hr speed limit. After refuelling both the vehicle and our tummies in Newcastle, Elize had opted to climb into the rear seat to tend to our 5 month old daughter Opal. Our eldest, 6 year old Ruan couldn’t believe he would be allowed to sit in the front passenger seat because we always place him in his booster seat behind the driver.”

Soon Ruan and Tinus were in deep conversation about the size of the rugby ball his Oupa had given him and how Ruan and his cousins had hidden Ouma’s teeth in the fridge after finding them in a tumbler on her bedside table.

The car was now facing the vehicle I had overtaken just minutes earlier but was still travelling in the direction we had been facing

We all chuckle woefully. Clearing his throat Tinus continues. “It had begun to drizzle lightly. Nothing hectic, just a soft patter, the kind that makes you lie on the couch when you are home.”

The gentle, light and steady rain, didn’t seem a threat but little did Tinus know that his life was about to turn upside down.

“I must say, I felt content,” Tinus smiles softly. “My family was with me, I was playing my favourite music, the car had been serviced and the rain wasn’t heavy so I continued driving without giving the task much thought.”

THE ACCIDENT

“I remember glancing in the rear-view mirror and seeing Elize sleeping peacefully with Opal in her arms. Ruan also asleep, had managed to slip the shoulder belt of the car seat behind his upper body and I remember making a mental note to retrieve his booster seat from the rear when next we stopped. The next thing I recall the car was skidding towards the edge of the road towards the grassy embarkment. I stomped on the brakes and tried to straighten the vehicle but it spun a further 180 degrees. I felt like I was in a movie. The car was now facing the vehicle I had overtaken just minutes earlier but was still travelling in the direction we had been facing. The last thing I remember hearing was Elize screaming, a loud bang and the crunch of metal before everything went dark.”

She had been flung out of her Elize’s arms and had become a fast moving projectile within the car…

When he regained his consciousness, (less than 5 minutes later) Tinus was horrified by the sight that greeted him. “I could only see Ruan’s right arm from beneath the massive airbag; Elize was slumped over and I couldn’t see or hear little Opal.” Panicking Tinus stumbled out of the car and passed out in the arms of the motorist who had been driving behind them.

The couple would later learn that Tinus had driven through a pool of water, the car had aqua-planned and he had lost control of it. Fortunately, their injuries were not serious however, the children weren’t so lucky.

THE AFTERMATH

Ruan, who had only been secured by the lap belt when his father’s car had crashed into a nearby tree, had been thrown forward with an incredible amount of force. The lap belt, without the corresponding effect of the shoulder belt had become like a sharp knife, cutting into the 6 year old’s underdeveloped abdominal fat and muscles, and causing a part of his intestine to rupture and spill out of his severed belly.

If only I had put her back in her car seat after burping her…

Opal on the other hand was the most affected by the accident because she had been in her mother’s arms and not in an appropriate restraint. She had been flung out of her Elize’s arms and had become a fast moving projectile within the car, bouncing against the back of her brother’s seat, and crashing into the right hand passenger window, before hurtling across the width of the car to the far left hand corner of the rear window before being stopped by the headrest of her mother’s seat.

Tinus’ gruff voice, thick with emotion came to me from a distance, as if I was underwater. I fought back tears and vaguely heard Elize say that Opal had passed away almost instantly due to her vast injuries. Her tiny body had become a ping pong ball within the cabin of the car and her head had struck various objects within the car before she landed on the rear shelf behind the back head rests. Both her arms and left leg had snapped during her uncontrollable rebounding within the car as had her delicate neck.

Ruan was hospitalised for several months during which time he was operated on repeatedly. Although doctors saved his life, his life in turn has changed drastically. He has had to relearn how to walk, and can only eat food that has been mashed smoothly.

I don’t believe we are the first parents to lose our child like this.

A WORD TO ALL PARENTS

“We carry our children on our laps all the time,” Elize’s pained voice pierces my thoughts. “It’s just natural to do so especially when they need to be comforted. If only I had put her back in her car seat after burping her,” her voice trails away.

After comforting his wife, Tinus adds “We just want other parents to be aware that this sort of thing can happen. We talk about head-on collisions and hijackings and all the rest but these types of accidents don’t get mentioned and I don’t believe we are the first parents to lose our child like this.”

I watch as Tinus and Elize slowly walk away arm in arm, but notice that they are in fact, leaning on one another. To anyone else it looks like a romantic walk but I know that they are in fact drawing enough physical strength from each other to remain upright. I marvel at the courage it’s had taken them to recall that horrific incident and share it with a complete stranger.

Even though it’s part of their healing process I too sincerely hope that no other parent experiences what they are going through.