To make travelling with their young children easier, many parents choose to drive. However, not all parents install and use child car seats in their vehicles to reduce the risk of injury in the unfortunate event of an accident. To further strengthen protection for young passengers, the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) (Amendment) Regulation 2024 will come into effect on 1 November 2025. Child passengers aged below 8 must use an approved child restraining device when travelling in private cars, unless they have reached the height of 1.35 meters. The Consumer Council published the latest test results from International Consumer Research & Testing (ICRT), covering 22 child car seat models available in Hong Kong to assist parents in selecting safe and reliable products. All models attained an overall safety rating of 3.5 points or above, but 2 models showed weaker crash protection in the frontal impact test, while 1 model recorded higher force values on the crash dummy in the side impact test, indicating inferior protection. In addition, 4 models had more complicated installation procedures, increasing the likelihood of installation errors.
The Council urges manufacturers to improve the design and usage instructions of child car seats to further enhance crash protection, while ensuring that usage guidelines are clear and easy to understand, enabling parents to operate them correctly. Parents should carefully read the user manual and relevant instructions, follow the proper steps to complete installation, ensuring the seat is securely fastened and the seat belt is buckled correctly so that the child car seat can effectively protect children.
The 22 models tested were suitable for children from newborns to around 12 years old, with prices ranging from $2,380 to $7,760 (including separate base). Some models featured ISOFIX designs, which were generally easier to install, and some were equipped with side rotation functions to allow children to get in and out of the vehicle more easily. Test items included frontal and side crash impact, installation design, ease of use, comfort, and harmful substances. In terms of the overall rating, for instance among models suitable for infants from newborn to around 1.5 years old, the lowest-priced model ($2,380) received an overall score of 4.5 points, while the highest-priced model ($7,760 including separate base) only received 3.5 points. The price difference of these 2 models exceeded twofold, reflecting that price does not necessarily correlate with performance. Consumers are advised to refer to test results for comparison before purchase.
Frontal Impact: 2 Models Showed Weaker Protection
Whether a child car seat can effectively provide protection during a crash is crucial. The frontal impact test was conducted at a speed of 64km/h, while the impact force and “injury” level sustained by key body parts of the dummy inside the vehicle frame was measured. Among the 9 models suitable for infants from newborn to around 1.5 years old, 5 had outstanding performance, effectively reducing force and thus received a rating of 5 points. However, for 1 model suitable for newborns to children around 12 years old, when installed forward-facing and tested with a dummy simulating a 3-year-old child of approximately 100cm in height, the car seat belt slightly compressed against the neck. As children’s necks are more fragile, the test results indicated a higher risk of injury in the event of frontal impact. Another model suitable for children from around 1.5 to 12 years old measured higher force values in the dummy during the test, indicating weaker protection. Both models received a rating of 3 points only.
Side Impact: Protection of 1 Model Found Slightly Weaker
The side impact test simulated a vehicle being hit from the side by another car travelling at 50km/h. 10 models had outstanding performance and received a rating of 5 points. These included 5 models suitable for infants from birth to around 1.5 years old; 3 models suitable for newborns to children around 4 years old; 1 model suitable for newborns to children around 12 years old; and 1 model suitable for children from around 1 to 4 years old. However, 1 model suitable for children from around 4 to 12 years old showed higher force values in the dummy during testing, indicating slightly weaker protection and received a rating of only 3.5 points.
The test also covered the installation design of the models, with experts assessing the design of seat belts and headrest cushions, whether the seat could be adjusted to fit children of different body shapes, and whether it could be securely installed on various car seats. All models performed well in this aspect, generally able to adapt effectively to actual usage scenarios, and received ratings of 4 or 4.5 points.
Complicated Installation for 4 Models Increasing Chance of Mistakes
10 Had Less Clear Instructions or Labels
Improper installation of child car seats could significantly reduce their protective capability. Therefore, whether the design could prevent or reduce the chance of misuse is a major parameter in the “ease of use” rating.
The test found that 2 models (suitable for infants from newborn to around 1 year old, and children from around 4 to 12 years old respectively) performed well in preventing misuse, as their simpler installation steps could lower the chances of incorrect installation, thus received a rating of 4.5 points. On the contrary, 4 models had more complicated installation procedures. If users did not carefully follow the instruction manual, installation errors would be more likely, reducing the seat’s protective effectiveness. These models were rated only 2.5 points.
In terms of “installation and adjustment”, 2 models were easier to install, strap in the child securely, and adjust various settings, thus received a rating of 4.5 points. However, 8 models were relatively inconvenient to operate, such as being heavier or having seat belt designs that were difficult to move aside before placing the child in the seat, which caused the seat belt to tend to be tucked behind the child’s back, requiring the user to reach behind the child to retrieve and fasten the seat belt. As such, this model received a rating of only 3.5 points.
Furthermore, 10 models had less clear instruction manuals and labels, such as featuring fewer illustrations, thus received ratings of only 3.5 points in the “labels and instructions” aspect. The Council urges manufacturers to make improvements to make important information more accessible for consumers.
8 Models Detected with Trace Amounts of Harmful Substances but Risk Considered Low
As children have more delicate skin, parents are concerned about the safety of seat materials and workmanship. The fabrics of 8 models were detected with trace amounts of harmful substances, including phenol, organotin compounds, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, experts assessed the environmental and human health risks to be relatively low.
14 models had generally good workmanship and were easy to clean, receiving 4-point ratings. However, 1 model suitable for infants from newborn to around 1.5 years old had a seat cover that was relatively difficult to remove for cleaning, while its separate base had average workmanship. 1 model suitable for children from around 1 to 4 years old had a seat cover that was easy to remove and clean, but a glued area of the seat was not tightly bonded, indicating inferior workmanship. These 2 models were rated only 3 points in the “cleaning and quality” aspect.
Apart from child car seats, other portable child restraining devices are available on the market, including seat belt adjusters, wearable safety restraint vests, and boosters. Although these devices could be used as options for mandatory child restraining devices as long as they meet the specifications or standards of the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) Regulations, they lack backrests and side protection pads. Compared to child car seats with backrests, these devices generally offer weaker protection against side impact. Nevertheless, using portable child restraining devices for children in vehicles is still safer than not using any at all. They may be more suitable for children who occasionally travel by car and do not have traditional child car seats at home. Parents are advised to choose child restraining devices with better protection whenever possible.
When selecting and using child restraining devices, consumers may refer to the following recommendations:
- Before purchase, check the markings on the child restraining devices and choose products that comply with the Road Traffic (Safety Equipment) Regulations. Use the claimed applicable height and/or weight range as the basis for selection, while the age information should be for reference only. Consider letting the child try sitting in the seat and test various adjustments to ensure ease of operation;
- Some models suitable for infants can be used with designated baby stroller models for easier travelling;
- Some models come with separate bases, which may facilitate installation. Check whether the price includes the base before purchase;
- Manufacturers of some ISOFIX models provide lists of compatible car models. Parents may consult retailers or suppliers to confirm whether the child car seat can be securely installed in their vehicle;
- Child car seats that have been involved in a crash may have compromised structures even if they appear undamaged and should not be reused. It is difficult to guarantee that second-hand child car seats have never been involved in a crash. For child car seats gifted by friends or relatives, confirm their usage history and whether they have been involved in a crash;
- Before the first use, read the instruction manual and clean the seat cover, seat belt, padding and other components.
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