How are car safety seats classified?

According to the European classification system, all child automobile safety seats are grouped into 5 categories, depending on the child’s weight. Their age is just a rough guide to choosing the type of the seat.

Group 0

This group consists of automobile cradle-seats. This type of safety seat is recommended for children unable to sit up straight independently.

Automobile cradles are just ordinary cradles from baby carriages (prams) which can be fixed in the back seat of the vehicle with special fastening belts. The baby is secured lying in the cradle, using a soft-textured wide belt. The baby’s head is protected with extra safety equipment.

Group 0+

This group consists of portable rear-facing automobile safety seats installed in the front or back seat of the car. Fixed in this position, a baby will suffer the least during a front-impact crash. Safety seats of this group can usually be used both as cradles, portable seats, and chairs. Some of them can be installed on the wheels of baby carriages (prams), or used as slings in jogging strollers.

Group 0+/1

Automobile safety seats of this group have a similar construction to that of group О+. These safety seats can usually be tilted into several positions (for staying awake and sleeping). In group 0+ these seats are installed facing the rear. In group 1 they face forwards, and are installed only in the back seat.

Group 1 / 2

This group consists of automobile safety seats which can be tilted. The child is fixed in the seat with a 5-point safety belt.

Group 2 / 3

Older children have seats which make it gradually possible to stop using the inner belts of the child automobile safety seat, and start using the outer belts of a regular adult automobile seat.

As the child grows larger, the back of the seat can be removed. Then only the base (booster) is used. Seats of this type are only installed facing forwards in the back seat. Group 3 In the oldest group, only the safety seat booster is used. In this case the child is fixed with regular adult vehicle safety belts.

Group 1 /2 / 3

Thus group consists of automobile safety seats suitable for groups: 1, 2, and 3. The seat is ‘converted’ from group 1 into group 2 by removing the soft base and the inner belts of the seat. Group 2 is ‘converted’ into group 3 by removing the back of the seat.