Expert / 28 March, 2019 / Ellie Thompson
When it comes to car seat safety, Maxi Cosi wrote the book. They’re here to explain to new parents the ins and outs of how to secure your car seat, and the advantages and disadvantages of ISOFIX v car seat belts.
An ISOFIX child seat is ‘plugged’ into corresponding fitting points in your car, so there is no need to use the car’s seat belts to secure it. ISOFIX is the safest way to secure your chid’s car seat.
You’ll find three ISOFIX points on ISOFIX car seats and bases:
A tether (aka top tether, top tether strap, top strap) is a long piece of seat belt material that has a clip on the end located at the top back of a convertible or combination carseat.
You’ll find the top tether anchor situated on the boot floor or on the back of the seat bench. In new cars the top tether logo will point you in the direction of where this will be. The top of the child’s car seat has a hook on the end that connects to the tether anchor in the vehicle. This secures the third ISOFIX point.
A support leg is a good alternative to the top tether. It is mainly used for group 0+ and I child seats, both in rear-facing and forward-facing versions. The support leg extends until it rests securely on the floor of the vehicle, between the back and front seats (if installed on rear seat).
Top tip: If you’re using a support leg, check whether the floor of the car has a storage compartment that might render the leg insecure. If it has, seek advice to ensure proper installation.
ISOFIX is Maxi Cosi’s recommended method of installing your car seat and there are three reasons for this:
Knowing this, let’s go through the pros and cons of both types of installation:
If you know you’ll need to use the seat belt method of securing your car seat, when purchasing, choose a car seat that shows you exactly how the seat belt is positioned. All Maxi-Cosi seats display a clear belt routing. If in doubt, check the manual.
Maxi Cosi claim that a huge 8 out of 10 parents install their car seat incorrectly when using a seat belt. They take longer to install, and when installed incorrectly, reduce the protection offered to your child in the event of a crash.
There have been many safety tests taken to prove that ISOFIX is extremely safe, with risk of incorrect installation low. Most ISOFIX base units now display indicators that flip red to green to confirm correct installation. As a result, 94% of parents manage to use ISOFIX in their cars correctly.
Car Seat Safety: Top Tips on Choosing A Car Seat
5 Reasons We Love The DUALFIX I-SIZE from Newborn Up
For competitions and offers from our favourite brands, click here.
Myavo is Graco’s game-changing compact stroller which offers the look of premium brands but at the high street price of just £130 – making it up to £300 cheaper than competitors.
It’s perfect for those who don’t want to blow the budget or compromise on style. And it’s packed full of features for comfort and convenience, including its incredible one-hand, one-second fold which makes Myavo ideal for use on the go. Plus, at just 5.8kg, Myavo is one of the lightest compact strollers available.
You can have it all with Myavo!
Activities & Days Out / 30 March, 2023
My Baba Measure / 29 March, 2023
Children's Health / 28 March, 2023
