R129, or i-Size car seat, is a new safety standard introduced to improve the safety of baby car seats in the modern days. This new standard specifies safety requirements based on a child’s height instead of weight, allowing a better fit and protection during a crash.
People generally consider i-Size car seats to be a safer option due to their stricter safety requirements, which include:-
- Side Impact Protection test: Besides rear-facing and forward-facing tests, side-impact testing is now considered an essential evaluation criterion.
- Rear-facing position is a must for below 15 months old: The standard requires children below 15 months to travel in a rear-facing position, unlike R44/04 regulation whereby the child is required to travel in a rear-facing position up to 13kg or approximately 12 months old.
- Rear-facing up to 4 years old: Every i-Size car seat will allow rear-facing position up to 4 years old, which is longer than the previous standard that only allows rear-facing up to 13kg or approximately 12 months old.
To conclude, the level of protection depends on factors such as proper installation and use of the car seat. Ensuring your child is safely secured into the car seat requires correct installation and a suitable harnessing method. Always confirm that the selected car seat is compatible with your vehicle installation method to provide a proper installation.