What is a reboarder child seat?
For some time now there has been talk of reboarders when it comes to child safety in the car and the purchase of a new child seat. But what exactly is behind the term reboarder? Here you can find out everything about the “child seat revolution”.
What actually is a reboarder?
A reboarder is a child seat that is installed rear-facing in the car and in which children are transported against the direction of travel. In Germany, baby seats were primarily known for this property, so that most parents put their children in a forward-facing child seat from the next larger child seat group. However, test results have now proven that even children up to the age of four are safer in the so-called reboarders than in conventional child seats.
Why were reboarders developed?
Recent accident statistics from the Federal Statistical Office show very clearly that the injuries and fatalities in 1 to 2-year-old children outweigh those under 1-year-olds in traffic accidents. For this reason, child seat manufacturers and safety experts have thought about how safety can also be improved in this age group. A look at nearby Sweden brought new insights. There, reboarders and therefore rear-facing passengers up to the age of three are common.
Why are reboarders rear-facing?
Tests have shown that in the most common type of accident, a frontal collision, the most serious secondary injuries occur. Children up to the age of four still have an immature spine, which in the event of a frontal crash in the “normal” direction of travel is not able to absorb the high impact load. With a reboarder child seat, the impact forces are distributed over the child’s entire back without causing serious injuries to the child’s spine or head, which is still disproportionately heavy. For this reason, experts recommend that all parents take their child with them in a reboarder at least until they are two years old. The new i-Size regulation even prescribes a minimum period of 15 months.
Do reboarders also comply with the i Size regulations?
Reboarders have been on the market for some time, but are still relatively unknown. However, demand has been increasing steadily since the new i-Size regulation came into force. But there is one very important aspect to consider: a child seat with a reboard system is not the same as an i-size seat. Although both have in common that children sit rear-facing in the car, the i-size regulation brings with it a few other requirements that not every reboarder can serve. For example, there are also reboard child seats without ISOFIX, while i-Size child seats always come with the ISOFIX systemfitted. Accordingly, when buying a reboarder, parents should pay close attention to whether they also want an i-size standardized child seat or whether they are only interested in rear-facing installation.
Why are reboarders still so unknown?
Reboarders are still relatively unknown in Germany because demand is relatively low. In addition, the uncertainty on the part of the parents is understandable, since the ADAC and the Stiftung Warentest often rate reboarders a little worse in their annual child seat tests. The reason for the graduated rating is an excessive potential for errors when installing and assembling the reboarder. ADAC and Stiftung Warentest also agree: a reboarder is the safest child seat for children up to four years old.