Travel with your children by car, but always with the appropriate child restraint systems.

Parents who drive assume a great responsibility when traveling with their children in the car. The safety of children in the vehicle is a matter of concern for both families and the authorities, through the General Directorate of Traffic. That is why, last year, the regulations governing child safety and restraint measures that must be followed when minors travel in any vehicle were modified.

Since October 1st, it is established the obligation to place all minors under a height of 1.35 meters in the rear seats. There are only three exceptions to this rule:

• If the vehicle doesn’t have rear seats
• If they are already occupied by other minors
• If the rear seats cannot accommodate all the seats adapted to the weight and height of the children needed

In addition, children must travel in approved seats or restraint systems as required by Spanish law, based on the child's weight and height. The different child restraint systems or adapted seats are classified into 3 groups, according to the weight and height of the children:

1. Group 0 and 0+. For newborns up to approximately 13 kilograms. This seat is always placed facing backward.
2. Group 1. Seats for children from 9 kg. to 18 kg. It is secured to the vehicle seat using seat belts or, if the vehicle allows it, by the Isofix system, designed to anchor the seat to the car's structure, increasing safety.
3. Group 2 and 3. Seats for children from 15 to 36 kilograms in weight. In this case, children are secured with the vehicle's own seat belts, but with enough elevation so that the diagonal belt does not pass over the neck but over the collarbone. Both seats with backrests and simple boosters are allowed.
4. From 12 years old and over 135 cm in height. Although legally children can travel directly with the vehicle's own seat belts without any booster, the use of restraint systems is recommended up to 150 cm in height. In any case, the seat belt must never be positioned at the passenger's neck level.

The regulations on child restraint systems are not a minor issue. According to the General Directorate of Traffic, correct use of these safety measures reduces the number of child deaths in traffic accidents by 75% and, up to 90%, the number of injuries. It also emphasizes the importance of always following this rule, as it has been observed that many adults do not use these systems on short trips, out of convenience or lack of time. However, unfortunately, serious accidents and even the death of minors also occur on these short trips.