When children travel by road it is essential that they do so in approved chairs and appropriate to their weight, height and age. Also, we don't get tired of recommend the use of child restraint systems (SRIs) oriented to the reverse gear, according to experts is the safest way to travel.
However, there are still many myths surrounding these chairs, and people who think that beyond the baby stage they are not useful or necessary. But nothing is further from reality, and with the help of this article published in Fatherly magazine we want to show you through physics.
What happens in a frontal collision?
Most traffic accidents are caused by frontal-side collisions between vehicles, and this scenario is, according to experts and statistics, the most damaging.
In a frontal collision occupants traveling inside the vehicle move towards the point of impact with great force and speed, being retained by seat belts or chair harnesses.
At this point, and according to the laws of physics: What is the difference between a child placed in favor of gait and another placed in a chair in reverse (ACM)?
If the child travels in favor of the march ...
When an impact occurs at 50 km / h and the child travels in a car seat placed in favor of the march with safety harness, his head is thrown forward with the force of a projectile, but your body will be strongly retained by the harness straps.
Recall that the head of a small child is approximately 25-30 percent of the weight of his body. Further, his neck is still in formation and its vertebrae are cartilage that will not be fully reinforced until age six.
In case of impact in favor of gait, its fragile neck must withstand a force of between 150-300 kg, a weight much greater than 130 kg, which is estimated to be the maximum that a child can bear without causing serious injuries.The force with which the head is thrown forward will force the spinal cord to stretch beyond the point of no return, causing serious damage or even death.
If the child travels backwards ...
When the collision occurs by traveling in a counter-travel SRI, the full force of the impact is equitably absorbed by the chair itself so the load that the child's neck supports at that time is reduced to 30-70 kg.
Children of three years and four and a half years traveling in ACM chairs But a frontal crash involves three types of collisions:
- On the one hand, the vehicle hits an object (a tree, another car, an obstacle on the road ...)
- On the other hand, the occupant's body knocks against the safety harness of the chair or against the belt.
- And this second impact causes the internal organs strike against the inside of the body.
When the child travels in reverse, his body does not move forward in the event of a collision in the same way as if he were facing the march. This considerably reduces the force with which the second and third collision occurs, and therefore the damage caused to its organs.
"Backward-facing chairs are not a choice that should be made according to the lifestyle or opinion of the parents, but rather It is a decision based on scientific facts. The more we know about physics and physiology, the better we can protect our children from serious injuries "- declared Fatherly the head of the North American organization for road safety, Car Seat For The Littles.
We share this video published by the Center for Childhood Injury Prevention Studies and made with the help of researchers from the Center for Injury Biomechanics at the University of Ohio, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. It explains in a very visual way what we just said, and why traveling backwards is up to five times safer What to do in favor of the march.
And what happens in case of rear impact?
It is clear that in the event of a frontal or lateral impact, this type of chair reduces the risk of injury by up to 80 percent. But what happens if the impact occurs behind?
A few months ago we published a study conducted by the University of Ohio and the Center for Childhood Injury Prevention Studies, which ruled that the rear-facing chairs continue to be the safest option to travel also in case of rear-end collision, as long as they are correctly installed, they absorb the impact very effectively.
In any case, and according to statistics, we must not forget that rear impacts occur less frequently than front or side shocks and, in general, the speed of the vehicles involved is much lower, and so is the severity of the occupants' injuries.
How long to travel ACM?
In our country, place children in an IRS in the opposite direction It is mandatory until 15 months if you opt for approved chairs under the i-Size regulations. But, as we have seen, it is not enough time, so Parents should extend the use of back-up chairs beyond this age.
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that children travel backwards at least up to two years, although this recommendation extends to four, or even more, by the DGT, firefighters and road safety experts.
But traveling backwards is not synonymous with safe travel if other essential requirements are not met:
- Choose a correct chair and appropriate to the child's weight and size. For this, it is important to go to specialized stores where we can be advised by professionals depending on the characteristics of our vehicle and the child who will occupy the SRI.
Remember that when the child exceeds the indications of weight and height offered by the manufacturer, the chair will no longer be safe, so we must find another model that suits better.
Anchor the chair correctly to the vehicle, it is no use acquiring an ACM chair if it is not properly attached to the seat. And for this again it is essential to be advised by qualified professionals.
Adjust harnesses correctly when we sentence the child: watch that the tension of the children is adequate, that they are not twisted, that the child does not go with the coat on… since this would reduce the security.
Therefore, if you wish protect your child on the road by opting for child restraint systems beyond 13-15 kg, you should know that it is possible and that there is a wide range of chairs in the market to travel safely. Happy journey!
Via Fatherly
In Babies and More i-Size Chairs: everything you need to know about their classification and use, Back-up chairs: the safest child restraint systems for traveling, The back-up chairs are safe also in case of rear impact, Firefighters from Madrid explain why children have to travel backwards
