Where should your kid be when you're travelling in a car? Without doubt in a child car seat and buckled up, says child passenger safety consultant Alexandra Kay. She tells Carolina D'Souza why it is so important to choose the right seat for your child depending on his/her age, height and physical condition.
If Alexandra Kay were to design a child car seat, it would feature a few colourful Ferrari or Barbie stickers, a space-age cup holder, even perhaps an audio system which would produce gadget-like sounds at the press of a button.
"It's tough to convince children as they get older to sit in booster seats,'' says the Dubai-based car seat technician and child passenger safety consultant, "especially when their friends don't."
Fact is, car seats are functional and are designed to meet the highest safety standards. Gimmickry is best left to the guys in the toy factory. For instance, child car seats made by Volvo have some of the best safety features in the market.
"I don't know of any other car manufacturer that manufactures (child) car seats," she says, adding on a lighter note, "I am sure if manufacturers in general sold car seats with fashion logos, people would use them a lot more."
The moment of levity is quickly supplanted by a serious tone. "But parents don't realise the importance of car seats," she says.
When she was pregnant with Eric, (who is now 8) information on car seats was insufficient. "It was frustrating," she says, adding, "there was no locally available information, and while sales people had sales skills, they had no expertise on car seats."
Today, little has changed.
"I'd love to say shop assistants are helpful, but I can't. Recently, I asked a car seat specialist for a specific kind (of car seat). He rattled off a name that I was certain didn't exist. Turns out, he was referring to the name of the colour," she says, nodding her head in exasperation.
Clearly, she bewails the state of car seat retailers in the UAE. "We need a store that provides the right seats for all ages and cars. At the moment there isn't one," she says.
(In Sweden, it is mandatory for car seat sales staff to undergo a certification programme.)
Her frustration led her to undertake extensive research on the subject. At one point, even family members ribbed her about her obsession with car seats. But Kay knew what she wanted: the safest, top-of-the-range car seat for Eric.
"I was prepared to go to any place to get it," she says.
After looking around a lot, she finally had to make arrangements to get one from Sweden which matched her expectations.
Earlier this year, Alexandra received certification from the Swedish Road Safety Authorities (NTF) as a car seat technician and child passenger safety consultant.
On an appointment basis, she now assesses cars, advises on car seats, conducts seat checks and does fittings. She also lectures on child passenger safety, and holds group sessions where people bring their cars and car seats for checks and advice.
Alexandra's children, Eric, Nicolas, 6, and Oliver, 2, have been taught, forced and threatened on the safety of using a booster seat.
"Eric has been using a (booster seat) since he was four. His friends sometimes pick on him saying, 'Hey, why are you still in a baby seat?!" she says.
Initially, it was difficult to get him to sit in one, but now he points to children who don't use a booster seat.
"Look mama, he's not using a booster seat" is a common statement when the Kays are commuting. If Eric is getting a ride in someone else's car, Alexandra runs towards the car, half-apologetic, and firmly says, "Sorry, I need to fix this booster seat for Eric first."
Eric and Nicolas don't question this safety aspect any more. But Alexandra is anything but laconic on the subject.
Car seats: sizing them up
"Buy an infant-only car seat before you have a baby,'' she advises parents to be. "Your baby should ride in a car seat from the hospital," says Alexandra, who is absolutely against the practice of allowing children to sit unrestrained in a car.
"If properly used and installed, a child car seat can reduce your child's chances of death or serious injury by as much as 70 per cent," she says.
Broadly classified, she says, there are three types of car seats: infant-only, convertible and booster.
"The car seat has to be right for your baby. The baby's height, weight and age should be considered when buying one. You must also check if the car seat is compatible with your vehicle. You can find this by referring to the manual of your car and the car seat."
Infant car seats can seat a child up to 12-15 months. It is designed to face the rear of the vehicle. These shouldn't be installed forward-facing, at least until your child is a year old.
Some parents prefer convertible car seats. These can be used both rear- and front-facing, and can be used for infants as well as toddlers. You must follow guidelines on weight limit mentioned on the car seat manual before you change the direction, which is usually after 18 months.
(Many infant-only and convertible car seats come with combination systems, ie. they can be fitted on a stroller.)
"I advise parents to keep their children facing rear-wards as long as they can. In Dubai, rear-facing car seats (for children) up to two years are available," she says.
The third type is the booster seat, which raises your child up so the car's safety belt fits right. Your child is ready for one when he is too big for a car seat.
"A child up to the age of 12 or a height of 140 cm should use a booster seat," she says.
For Alexandra, apart from research and professional training, it was her personal life which led her to tackle quite a few challenges.
One of the major issues she dealt with was transporting her three boys.
"One was easy. Two was complicated. Three was difficult. I have fit all three car seats (in my vehicle) correctly and in the right places," she says.
Choosing the safest spot in the car to install the car seat is just one level of difficulty. Another important aspect is fitting it correctly - a job most wives assign to their husbands.
"It freaked my husband when I refused to allow him to fix the car seat. After all, the man of the house tends not to refer to the manual when fitting a little car seat," says Alexandra, laughing.
She has fitted a whole range of different seats. A car seat must be installed and used according to the seat manufacturer's instructions and vehicle owner's manual.
"Not all car seats will fit in every vehicle. Unfortunately, manuals are difficult to understand because of their (jargon).
"An improperly fitted seat is just as bad as not having a seat. Again, research studies in Sweden found out that 70 per cent of car seats weren't fitted correctly," she says.
Related to the topic of fitting seats is the choice of fitting mechanisms available, in particular, systems such as LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children).
"This system is specifically designed for car seat installation. When used, seatbelts are no longer necessary to install the car seat. In a way this system reduces wrongly fitted child car seats," she says.
Some cars have integrated car seats. "These are safe, and obviate the need to purchase separate car seats. Many European automobile companies have this feature in their family saloons," she says.
Currently, Alexandra is working with Emirates Driving Institute to produce a child car seat safety leaflet that will be distributed at clinics, hospitals and schools.
She also works with Babyproffsen, a car seat shop in Sweden, to update her knowledge on the latest models and developments in car seats.
Ready to buy one?
One of Alexandra's goals is to educate sales staff on car seats. "Shops will be able to sell better!" she says.
At the moment, reputed stores like Mothercare, Babyshop and Just Kidding in Dubai and Mamas and Papas in Abu Dhabi sell standard, good quality car seats.
Be chary about the supermarket variety, she warns. "Some of them may be specious. Saving a few dirhams and compromising the life of your child is not a good deal."
And when you go shopping, resist the urge to check the car seat on a shop model of a vehicle seat. "Ask if you can take it to your car if you are unsure whether it will fit correctly. Some stores will allow you. Either way, you must check for a stamp of a reputed manufacturer," she says.
Not everyone can afford to buy new car seats. Some opt for second-hand ones - a practice Alexandra supports. "I don't want to discourage people from buying used car seats, Again, I believe it is better to use one than not," she says.
When buying one, however, she advises that you have a checklist ready.
"Look for the year of manufacture. The average lifespan of a car seat is around eight years. Check the seat thoroughly, and look for signs of wear and tear and damage. Ensure the original fireproof material is still intact. If it has been upholstered or been in a crash, don't buy it."
Safety and security
Car seats are crash tested to meet safety standards. However, sometimes, they get recalled. Blame it on the rapid pace of technology.
"A manufacturer will inform all retailers if a particular car seat model has been recalled. Always sign the registration card upon purchase so in case the car seat you have purchased gets recalled, they can send you a replacement," she says.
Regardless of how technically sound a car seat is parents tend to undermine their child's safety by adding unnecessary material.
"You can use an infant head support like a hard-rolled noodle pillow; nothing fluffy that can suffocate the child. Never place material between the child and the seat; he has to be in contact with the seat. In Sweden, children are prohibited from wearing bulky jackets when in a car seat," she says.
Alexandra also works with Expatwoman.com, Volvo and a few schools in Dubai in organising events and to create awareness campaigns. One of the issues she deals with are mothers who think it is safe to hold their babies in their arms while travelling in a car.
"Many parents ignore safety requirements, and think it is safer to hold the baby. It is a maternal instinct. If I didn't know the safety hazard, I would think the same way.
"Your arms can't cope if there is a crash, and you will harm your child with your own body. Use the vehicle owner's manual to identify where air bags are located and read the instructions about transporting children safely when air bags are present."
