Joie I Anchor0-1 Carseat A SS1

New i-Size Car Seat Regulation

i-Size was introduced in July 2013 to make car seats easier to fit, provide better protection from side impact and keep children rearward-facing to at least 15 months, as research shows keeping babies rear-facing is safer in a front impact.

What’s new?

  1. With i-Size, the height of the child is used to find the correct i-Size car seat, instead of weight, which makes choosing the right car seat easier
  2. i-Size car seats enable babies to travel rear facing up to 15 months, instead of 9-12 months as per ECE R44.04 regulation
  3. i-Size also requires ISOFIX fitting points, which is the safest and easiest way of correctly installing a car seat, there’s less chance of incorrect fitting than belted car seats

The i-Size standard does not replace the current standard (ECE R44.04) but instead will run alongside it for the foreseeable future.

Why the change?

i-Size offers higher safety standards as well as making seats easier to fit.   Tests have shown that the impact for children in an accident (particularly head on collisions) are less when they are rear facing, rather than forward facing, as the force of being flung forwards is reduced and there’s also less head movement.

Further testing for peace of mind

With i-size, car seats have to pass side impact tests that use new test dummies with advanced sensors to measure the effects of a crash on the head area. Any i-Size car seat that doesn’t pass this test will not be allowed to be sold.

Do I have to rush out and buy a new car seat?

No, for the foreseeable future i-size regulations run alongside the R44 regulations. So, if you have a 12-month-old child and they are now forward-facing in a new car seat; this is fine. Or, if you’re out shopping for a new car seat and your vehicle doesn’t have ISOFIX fixings, you can purchase a seat approved under the R44 regulation, just look out for ECER44/04 on the label.

Note, the law on car seats to be used until the age of 12 or when they reach 135cm tall (whichever comes first) remains unchanged.

This handy video will help explain more about i-Size car seats.