The first thing you should check is which car seat best fits your child’s size based on their height. Some car seats are specific and designed for a certain height and age range. These are more ergonomic and provide a better fit within their usage range.
Other car seats are more versatile and offer a broader usage range, making it possible for one seat to cover your child’s needs throughout multiple stages of their growth.
Based on this, you can choose between the following categories:
Infant Car Seat
Toddler Car Seat
Booster Seat for Older Children
The safest places to install any child restraint system are always the rear and center seats. If your vehicle has more than two rows of seats, it’s recommended to place the car seat in the center to reduce the risk of impact from either side of the car.
According to Spanish law, children under 18 who are 135 cm or shorter must travel in the rear seats of the vehicle. However, they may sit in the front in the following exceptional cases (always using an approved car seat):
The optimal adjustment of the harness height ensures the proper installation of the child in the seat. The harness should be positioned at the level of the child’s shoulders or slightly above, never behind the back or at ear level. Once positioned, it is necessary to tighten it around the child’s body by pulling the harness adjustment strap to prevent the child from slipping out in the event of a sudden stop or impact.
You need to find the right balance. It’s not good to have a harness so tight that it makes the child uncomfortable and prompts them to try to escape from it. Nor should it be so loose that the child can easily slip underneath it. The harness should be snug but without causing tension on the child’s body. As a guideline, there should be a two-finger space between the harness and the child’s chest.
There are multiple proven safety benefits when a child travels rear-facing. In the event of a frontal collision, a rear-facing car seat distributes the forces more effectively.
Babies and young children do not have fully developed neck muscles and bones, making them more susceptible to the strain caused by a front impact. Traveling rear-facing offers greater protection for the child’s head, neck, and spine.
We know that when the child is smaller, they have enough space to travel comfortably, but what happens when they start to grow and need more legroom?
We advise you to use common sense. If the child is older but can comfortably cross their legs or extend them over the backrest, it means they can travel comfortably. On the other hand, if you notice that the child is moving too much or trying to find another position that could displace the harness, it’s likely that they are uncomfortable. In that case, it is advisable to consider changing the orientation of the seat.
The reducer cushion is a mat designed to reduce the internal space of the seat, minimizing lateral movements of your baby’s body, head, and neck while providing the support they need. It’s recommended to check that the cushion is properly fitted, and once the baby grows and reaches the necessary size to occupy the entire seat, you should remove it.
If you notice that the reducer is becoming too small for the child before they exceed the usage period indicated in the seat’s manual, you can remove the head support portion first, and then, as the child grows, the part that supports their body.
If a child is wearing a very thick coat, there is a risk that the harness or seat belts may not be tightened properly. Generally, we recommend removing heavy coats in the car. If warmth is needed, it’s better to cover the child with a blanket over the harness instead. This way, you can ensure that the harness fits securely and safely.
If you notice that the reducer is becoming too small for the child before they exceed the usage period indicated in the seat’s manual, you can remove the head support portion first, and then, as the child grows, the part that supports their body.
The buckles in our car seats are designed to strike a balance regarding the forces required to open them: they should be tight enough to prevent children from opening them, but not so tight that an adult cannot open them in an emergency. It is not legally permissible to have a more complicated locking system that prevents an adult from unbuckling the buckle in case of an emergency.
If your child unbuckles the harness, we recommend that you pull over immediately and re-buckle the harness for your child.
ECE R129/03 is the new standard for child restraint systems based on the child’s height rather than weight. It emphasizes the mandatory extension of rear-facing travel time up to 15 months. The new ECE 129 Regulation, known as i-Size, does not replace Regulation ECE 44 (R44); rather, it complements it and establishes more advanced safety standards based on the latest safety data.
Our car seats are covered by the legal warranty, under the terms and conditions established in Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007 of November 16. For a period of 3 years from the date of purchase, any lack of conformity existing at the time of delivery of the product is covered. It is essential to keep the purchase receipt or invoice as proof of acquisition within the warranty period.
The installation instructions provided in the product manual must be carefully followed for proper setup and subsequent functioning. The warranty does not cover defects resulting from accidental damage, misuse, or abuse of the product, nor does it cover defects due to inadequate maintenance or repairs carried out by unauthorized personnel or service technicians, in which case the user will be responsible for transportation costs and any necessary repairs. The warranty does not cover consumable components, such as batteries or coverings exposed to wear from normal use of the product.
The R129 regulation, also known as i-Size, is considered much safer compared to R44, as it provides an improved standard of head and neck protection. This enhanced safety is particularly due to advancements in research and development for approval testing:
New Generation Dummies: The Q Dummies are more biofidelic and equipped with more sensors, making them much more realistic in terms of kinetics and movements, and providing more data on the effects of impacts. This allows for much more precise development and design of child restraint systems (CRS).
Side Impact Testing: Side impact tests are included as part of the R129 standard, which was not the case in R44.
Mandatory Rear-Facing Installation: It is mandatory to install car seats rear-facing from birth to a minimum of 15 months (recommended up to 105 cm, approximately 4 years).
Initially, the R129 regulation required installation exclusively with Isofix anchors and a support leg or top tether. This approach aimed to facilitate installation and minimize potential errors when securing the car seat.
However, subsequent updates to the regulation have acknowledged vehicles that lack Isofix anchors, leading to some countries approving R129 certifications for seatbelt installation. At Vivitta, we offer several seats of this type, which we refer to as the i-Belt collection.
The future of these certifications is not entirely clear and remains a topic of debate among experts in the UNECE/GRSP group that updates the regulation. We will need to monitor its evolution in the coming years.
Types of i-Size Seats:
i-Size Universal Isofix: This means that the seat can fit in any approved i-Size seating position according to your car’s manual. It uses the Isofix connection system plus a support leg or top tether.
Universal with Seatbelt (Universal Belting): This category consists of improved child restraint systems that can be secured using the vehicle’s 3-point seatbelt, but only in the universal seating positions defined by ECE R16 (the regulation for seatbelts).
Specific Vehicle Belted Seat: This type of seat must be installed using the 3-point seatbelt and is compatible with a specific list of vehicles.
Specific Vehicle Booster Seat: This certification includes all booster seats with backrests that do not conform to i-Size, meaning that a list of compatible vehicle types is provided for these seats.
i-Size Booster Seat: This type of certification encompasses all booster seats with backrests that comply with i-Size, meaning the seat fits all seating positions approved by i-Size according to the vehicle’s manual.
i-Size Marked Seats: i-Size marked seats can be used in all i-Size car seats without further restrictions (the first cars were sold starting in 2015).
“Universal” UN Reg. 129 Approved Seats: These seats can be used in all “universally” approved car seats (which have been available for much longer than i-Size approved seats).
UN Reg. 129 “Specific Vehicle” Approved Seats: These seats can only be used in vehicles listed in the approved child seat type list.
Both the support leg and the rear top tether are anti-rotation elements that work in combination with the Isofix anchors. Both are equally safe, and their purpose is to make installation easier and more intuitive, avoiding installation errors.
Children are very flexible, and traveling with slightly bent legs poses no problem in the early stages of growth, as long as the car seat and vehicle allow for that position. Leg injuries are rare in children traveling in rear-facing seats, while the benefits of traveling in this position have been proven in numerous crash tests and real accidents.
To prevent your child’s head from falling forward while sleeping in their child restraint system (CRS), it is recommended to adjust the seat to the position that offers the greatest degree of recline. Additionally, always ensure your child travels without a jacket or heavy coat, as this allows the seatbelt or harness to fit more snugly against their body. If using a CRS with a harness, it is important to ensure it is properly tightened, leaving only a maximum of two fingers’ worth of slack between the harness and the child’s body.
It is important for the seat to be installed horizontally and parallel to the vehicle’s floor.
In some cases, the shape of the vehicle’s seats can cause the CRS to be too upright or the seatback angle may force this position. In such cases, it is advisable to place a towel or blanket underneath the CRS to prevent it from tilting forward. A neck support can also be helpful to keep your child’s head from leaning forward.
As we mentioned, it is important that the car seat is correctly installed following the instructions of the Child Restraint System (SRI) and in a compatible seat position. Rotating car seats have some play with respect to the base, and some users may see this as a factory defect and a safety risk when observed without an occupant or weight on top. It is important to consider that these rotating seats must maintain the ability to rotate with occupants ranging from very light babies to children over 25 kg / 135 cm, so that play in relation to the base is completely normal.
