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What is an i-Size car seat?

Are you looking for a car seat for your child? Then your best option is to choose a car seat that has been approved under the UN R129 or i-Size standards. From 1 September 2023, it will no longer be allowed to produce car seats in the EU that comply with the old ECE R44 standard. But what exactly is this i-Size regulation? And why is it so much safer than the previous ECE R44 standard? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you all you need to know!

If you’re about to become a mum or dad for the first time, you’re going to be bombarded with a whole heap of information. And especially when it comes to matters like choosing a good car seat, you might often find yourself looking for some help or advice.

What does i-Size mean? Besafe

i-Size, what does it mean?

I-Size refers to the UN R129 regulation that has been developed by a team of experts in order to offer the best protection to babies and children during car journeys and in the event of an impact or accident.

The UN R129 standard is stricter than its predecessor because these car seats have to meet stricter conditions:

  1. The mandatory installation of a car seat rearfacing until your child reaches 15 months of age. When your child is transported backwards, they are much better protected in the event of an impact.
  2. I-Size car seats are tested to see how they handle the impact in the event of a lateral impact car crash, something that did not happen under the old standard. This test requires car seats to have very good side protection.
  3. The new dummies used in crash tests are state-of-the-art and have sensors on their head, neck and abdomen, which makes the results much more accurate. Furthermore, they can even mimic the behaviour of a real child.
  4. The height of the child is also taken into consideration to determine for how long a car seat can be used. With the old standard, this calculation was done on the basis of weight, which is much less reliable.
  5. Car seats for older children can only be approved if they have a high backrest and offer sufficient protection to the child's head and body.

Did you know.. BeSafe was the very first car brand to have an i-Size car seat for all ages?

Please note! An i-Size car seat is always installed using isofix attachment points. These are a type of hook in the seat of a car into which you can click the car seat or base. This is not only safer, but also makes it easier to install the car seat!

So if you’re looking for a safe way to transport your baby or child in the car, you should look for a car seat that meets the i-Size standard. This way, you can be sure that it was approved and had to pass all these strict tests. Discover all the i-Size car seats by BeSafe!

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