Child car seats: rules and tips

In short: In the car, children must be secured in a restraint system that suits their height and weight. A well-fitted, suitable child seat considerably reduces the risk of injury in an accident.

In more detail: In Germany, children under twelve who are shorter than 150 cm generally need a suitable, officially approved child seat. This information is general guidance; rules can change.

In detail

• Approval standards: Approved seats carry an orange approval label. Newer seats are approved under the UN R129 standard (i-Size), which is based on the child’s height; older seats approved under ECE R44 are based on weight.
• Rear-facing is safer: Babies and toddlers are better protected in rear-facing seats, because the head and neck are supported in a frontal collision. The R129 standard requires this at least up to the age of 15 months.
• Front passenger seat and airbag: A rear-facing seat may only be used in the front passenger seat if the passenger airbag is switched off. Otherwise a deploying airbag can seriously injure the child.
• Isofix: Many cars have Isofix mounting points, which connect the seat firmly to the car body. This reduces typical installation mistakes.
• Routing the belt correctly: The belt must be tight, must not be twisted and should run over the shoulder and pelvis, not over the neck or stomach.
• No thick coat: Thick winter coats make the belt sit too loosely. It is better to take the coat off and lay it over the child.
• Moving up a size: Only switch to the next seat size once the child has reached the limit of the current one, for example when the head sticks out above the shell.
• Buying and fitting: Ideally try the seat out in your own car, look at test results from independent testing bodies and, with second-hand seats, find out whether they have already been in an accident.
• Context: The obligation to secure children also applies in hire cars and car-sharing vehicles; after an accident a child seat should generally be replaced (carsharing-und-mietwagen-im-alltag, unfall-richtig-verhalten).