Car seat 9-36 kg
Is your child slowly getting too big for the infant car seat you'll need a bigger car seat to keep traveling safely. A group I/II/III car seat offers a particularly long period of use.
Whether your child is already too big for the infant car seat is shown by their position in the seat: the right time to switch from the infant car seat to a bigger car seat is when the baby's head has reached the top edge of the infant car seat. The head should not extend above it!
Don't switch too early
Your child may only ride in a forward-facing group I/II/III car seat once they can hold their head up on their own.
Alternatively, there are rear-facing car seat options in group 0+/I, which let your child ride rear-facing up to 18 kg. Ideal for tall children!
Particularly long period of use
An ECE group I/II/III car seat is ideal if you're looking for a car seat your child can use for as long as possible. Children ride in this car seat from 9-36 kg (approx. 9 months to 12 years) – in other words, until the end of the mandatory car seat requirement! This way, you save on having to buy an entire additional car seat – the group II/III one.
From group I onward, the direction of travel is forward-facing (rear-facing travel is only possible in special rear-facing car seats of group 0+/I or I).
Harness or impact shield?
Group I car seats mainly differ in how the child is secured in the seat: with a harness or an impact shield.
A harness is a 5-point harness attached directly to the car seat. The 5 attachment points are at the shoulders, the hips, and between the legs. This prevents the child from "sliding through." Children have a lot of freedom of movement here and feel like real race car drivers with the harness.
The downside: in a head-on collision, the head and neck are thrown forward – but the upper body stays in the same position due to the straps. Since the head is still relatively large and heavy at this age (up to 25% of body weight), this can result in more severe injuries to the head and neck.
The impact shield (or safety cushion) is a solid cushion that is secured in front of the child's belly using the vehicle seat belt. The impact shield works similarly to an airbag for adults: it gently catches the child's upper body in an accident. The upper body, head, and neck, which are thrown forward, roll off in such a favorable way that the strain on the neck and head remains relatively low. Besides the safety aspect, many children find the "little table" practical for drawing or playing. However, some children feel "trapped" by the impact shield and reject it. A practical test before the final purchase is therefore recommended.
How is the car seat attached?
A group I/II/III car seat is attached either with Isofix connectors or with the vehicle seat belt. For safety reasons, however, Isofix attachment is preferable, since the car seat is then firmly connected to the vehicle body, offering greater protection in an accident.
Before buying, please take a look at the car seat manufacturer's vehicle type list (available online) – Isofix car seats in particular cannot be attached in every car. Checking the list will provide clarity.
From what point can my child ride without a car seat?
The mandatory car seat requirement ends at a height of 150 cm or at age 12
If a child is younger than 12 but already taller than 150 cm, they may legally ride in a car without a car seat. If a child is still shorter than 150 cm at age 12, they may also legally ride without a car seat, but it is recommended to keep using the car seat until they reach a height of 150 cm.
