What is i-size?
‘i-size‘ is a new EU safety regulation for child car seats (ECE R129). It was introduced in July 2013 to make child car seats easier to fit, provide better protection from side impacts and keep children rearward-facing for longer. i-size only applies to Isofix seats.
What makes i-Size safer?
- Children have improved head and neck protection
- Babies and toddlers up to 15 months old must travel in rear facing car seats
- You have to use ISOFIX – a system that makes the car seat easy to fit correctly in the car
- i-Size car seats will fit almost all ISOFIX cars
- You choose a car seat based on your baby’s length, rather than weight.
How is my child better protected by i-Size?
Rear facing car seats
These offer maximum protection to babies and toddlers by spreading most of the impact in a frontal collision.
Before July 2013, babies could be moved into a front facing car seat at approximately 9-12 months, which we learned was not old enough. The new regulation makes it mandatory for children to remain rear-facing for at least 15 months.
Side impact standards
This gives your child better protection if you’re hit side-on.
Better installation
It’s much harder to install an i-Size car seat incorrectly as it doesn’t rely on guiding a seatbelt round it. i-Size car seats simply click onto your car’s ISOFIX anchor points, and they fit almost all cars with ISOFIX.
Better fit
Because you can choose your i-Size car seat based on length rather than weight, your growing baby can stay in the seat for longer.
My car seat conforms to the previous regulation. Must I upgrade to i-Size?
No. i-Size doesn’t replace the previous regulation for the moment – it gives you another option when you buy a car seat. You can be confident that the i-Size option complies with current car seat laws.
