Again, your car handbook should have all the information. But, essentially, yes. Many non-Isofix seats are attached via seatbelts that have a certain amount of give in them in the event of a crash. This give absorbs some of the impact, so a child in the seat absorbs less. With Isofix, the seat is bolted directly into the body of the car, so the child could absorb more impact.
However, considering many non-Isofix car seats are fitted incorrectly, greatly reducing their ability to protect a child in a crash, a properly fitted seat such as Isofix is always preferable. Two-seater cars are the only exception though models like the Porsche Boxster and Mazda MX-5 now also come with Isofix fittings on their front passenger seat. Isofix seats are designed for newborns up to four-year-olds.
Isofit seats are designed for four up to year-olds, the lock into place using the same Isofix mounting points, however it is actually the seat belt that keeps your child safely in place. The Isofix system was invented to ensure kids seats are fitted correctly. Isofix child seats have metal jaws that anchor on the Isofix points in your car.
You open the jaws, line them up in the Isofix points and push them together — like a locomotive bouncing off buffers — you'll hear a click as the jaws close, locking themselves onto the anchor points. You release the seat usually by pushing a couple of buttons. The names are pretty self explanatory.
Universal seats should fit all new cars and they have either a supporting leg that you wedge in the footwell or a top tether that you secure to the back of a passenger seat, both help keep the seats snugly fitted. Semi universal seats have exactly the same setup up but as the name subtly hints, they might not fit all cars. Vehicle specific sears are — in a not-so-unforeseen twist — specific to particular models of car. Isofix seats are a good idea for many reasons.
They're quick to fit and, more importantly, easier to fit safely than old style seat-belt secured seats.
They also stay locked in position in an accident better than older seats that, for example, could slide about a lot in a lateral impact. When installed right, seat belt fitted seats are perfectly safe - protecting children in the same way they do adults. Independent tests show that Isofix mounted seats are extremely safe. With the three-point static safety belt there are a number of issues that makes installing car seats a little bit more complex.
This complexity could affect the proper installation of the child restraint, which could lead to the seat not being safe in a collision. For example, in some vehicles the three-point safety belt of the vehicles may not be long enough or it might have an inertia reel that locks too easily. As previously stated, ISOFIX has the advantage of being universal, and will thus accommodate the child restraint installation regardless of the brand or model of seat.
These have been available as an optional extra on some vehicles for a while now, but European legislation is attempting to enforce that all vehicles have these as standard. In South Africa, the safety standards adopted by the vehicle industry are those of European legislation, and we will hopefully see all imported passenger vehicles with ISOFIX installed as standard in the future.
Any ISOFIX brackets that need to be installed in a vehicle after purchase must be checked and approved with the vehicle manufacturer concerned. Anything that can simplify the task of being a parent is always cool. However at this level, cool also means safer, and this is exceptionally reassuring for parents.
The demand for ISOFIX child restraints is continually on the increase to the point that many parents are now looking for this option prior to their vehicle purchase. The inexpensive cost of having this installed at vehicle manufacturer level makes the system a must-have. With parents becoming more aware of the dangers associated with incorrectly installed child restraints, the demand for ISOFIX is on the increase.
Support leg A support leg is fitted to the child seat and extended to the floor of the car between the back seat and the front seat, or between the front seat and dashboard. Rearward-facing seats may also have a brace that goes against the back of the car's front seat. Fitting Isofix child seats Check that your Isofix seat is approved for use in your particular vehicle. Isofix seats will not fit in every car with Isofix points. As with any child car seat, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.
For advice on choosing a compatible car seat and installing it in your vehicle, visit our Child Car Seat Fitting and Compatibility page Isofix cars have Isofix slots hidden behind the rear seats, in the joint between the back of the seat and the seat cushion. Some cars have a third Isofix attachment point, for a top tether, behind the rear seat to stop the child seat tipping forward in an accident.
Locate the Isofix points in your car by checking your car's handbook and looking for the Isofix label on the rear seats. Locate the Isofix connectors two prongs sticking out of the back on the child seat or base. Push the connectors into the Isofix slots in the car seat.
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