When we talk about road safety, and more so about the safety of children and babies , all precautions seems insufficient. Traditionally, parents would strap their kids in the rear side of the vehicle with seatbelts. However, this system was not entirely safe and reliable. In fact, in case of accidents, it didn’t guarantee that the baby seat stays intact to the attachment point. However, in recent years the so-called ISOFIX system has become popular safety option. It is an alternative system that provides greater guarantees for the safety of children. If you are puzzled with how to know if my car has an ISOFIX system don’t be. Just keep reading this HOWTO and we will tell you.
What is the ISOFIX system and how does it work?
The ISOFIX system is an ISO standard (ISO 13216) for vehicle road safety. That is, it is an approved and standardized system for all vehicles in which it is installed. Specifically, this approved system is intended for the fastening of baby seats in the rear seats of vehicles.
The ISOFIX system consists of a pair of metal rings or anchors that are expected standard in a vehicle. These anchor points further serve as fastening points for the child seat. This arrangement, in turn, helps you avoid having to use the rear seat passenger seatbelts. In addition to these two anchorages that are located in the lower part of the backrest of the rear seats of the vehicle, the ISOFIX system also incorporates a third hook that can be placed in two different places:
- or on the top and back of the seat
- or in the lower part directly in front of the seat, where the main anchors are located
In this way, the seat fits into the central anchors and is then placed with a third attachment point at one of these two points. It also ensures that the seat does not move or move in the event of a collision or traffic accident.
It is, by far, the safest system when it comes to driving with small children in the vehicle. So, if you have babies or small children, it is best to opt for a vehicle with ISOFIX. It surely makes a big difference in terms of road safety for the little ones.
Which cars have ISOFIX system and from what year
One of the problems when it comes to knowing if your vehicles has the ISOFIX system. Since, currently, the use of this system is optional . In 2017, the European regulation R129 was modified, which is in charge of guaranteeing the safety conditions of minors in vehicles. After the amendment, the recommendation was for vehicles, especially newly manufactured ones, have the ISOFIX system pre-installed. The factory fitted systems were expected to be a more reliable fastening system for baby seats in cars.
However, being a recommendation rather than a rule, it doesn’t lay grounds for manufacturing standards. Which meant that not all cars may have the ISOFIX installed. Hence, some cars may follow the standard practices, while other may not. And, in many cases, buyers have the option of installing it as an extra feature during purchase.
How can I know if my car has an ISOFIX system?
The only way to know if a vehicle has the ISOFIX system is to consult it in the manual of the vehicle. The manual must include details related to the equipment as well as the safety systems, including those related to baby seats in the rear seats.
However, another of the easiest ways to find out if the ISOFIX system is installed is simply to look for it . We must not forget that this system is based on a system of anchorages that is visible if the cushions of the rear seats are slightly separated, as well as it is easy to see the third anchorage in the upper rear part or in the lower front part of one of the seats. the seats in the rear of the vehicle are usually located in the center seat.
Finally, this system is usually indicated with a type of logo or symbol that is usually located in the part close to the anchors of the system itself or, on other occasions, on the upper sun visor of the passenger seat or the dashboard of the vehicle.
Now that you know how to know if my car has an ISOFIX system, you may be interested in this other OneHOWTO article on How to place the child seat in the car .
