Rearward Facing Car Seat and iSize Joie FAQs

Parents tend to have a LOT of questions about choosing an Extended Rearward Facing car seat. We were lucky enough to have Damon from Joie join us for an exclusive Q&A session, answer YOUR questions on all things rearward facing, i-size and Joie products. Many of you sent your questions in advance, but for those who weren’t able to join us – here is the lowdown of the questions and answers provided on the day. We hope that this makes those car seat decisions just that little bit easier, and clears up some of the misconceptions around car seat safety and suitability.

Thanks again to Damon from Joie for taking the time out of his day to chat with our community – breaking down the myths about extended rearward facing and helping you choose the right extended Rearward Facing car seat for you and your family.

Love RMR

*This post was originally published in August 2015*

Questions about Extended Rearward Facing Car Seats

Question  – I’m really struggling to decide which extended rearward facing car seat to get. What’s the best way to decide and what’s views on whether to go ISOFIX or seatbelt fixing? What are your views on going with one that lasts up till around 7 years by changing into high back booster? Can you provide any tips on how to decide please as they vary so much in usability and price!

The most important thing is to ensure it fits the car after that to look at the following points as these will affect the choice too.

• Will I move often? If so then ISOFIX can be good as easy to do so if using a leg version rather than top tether style and reduces human error.
• Will various people fit the seat or only me? If various people, then again ISOFIX is probably the option as reduces human error. Although if shown how to fit a seat belt seat correctly it takes about 30 seconds to fit most, sadly around 70% are not fitted correctly because most consumers do not seek professional fitting advice at the time of purchase or cannot find a skilled advisor.
• Is cost a factor? If yes then seat belted seats are better value, JUST AS SAFE AS ISOFIX, but can be harder to train people to fit correctly if various people will be fitting.
• If value is on top priority, then seats that cover multiple groups offer great value, but look at how much a seat costs then divide by how many years you will use it for to work out the true value, some seats are so CHEAP they are not SAFE. Good value is available without compromising safety, look at the JOIE STAGES- metal framework to enhance strength, side impact protection, ERF and goes from Birth to 7 years at a cost per year of only £21.40, so £1.80 a month but will set you back £150 at RRP, so sounds expensive but look at how long it lasts makes it far more affordable at a cost of a couple of chocolate bars a month………..
• IS safety the main concern?- If so then look for R129 seats like the I-AnchorFix as these have a mandatory side impact test and use the latest realistic test dummies, R44 is a 1980 test, so when from a reputable manufacturer like JOIE then the seats are engineered up and far beyond R44 but this is not a legal requirement to be well past so many at £25-£60 are just legal, R129 will ensure you have the best available.

Question: One of the biggest challenges we face with our 1 year old is keeping him entertained whilst in a rearward facing car seat. Do you have any recommendations? As many children appear to be much happier facing forward?

Little ones can still see very well out of the side windows and back whilst rearward facing but we do find that a lot of parents may attach a mirror to the back seat to keep an eye on them which also provides great entertainment. You can also give them a book, toy or snack which they often end up losing less when rearward facing as it can’t fall off their knees onto the foot well.

Question: My little boy is 4 but height of a six year old so presume that he would be too tall for a rearward facing car seat? Pregnant with 2nd child whom I presume will also be tall too so interested to know what happens here as feel it’ll be very uncomfortable for them?

The majority of seats suitable for rearward facing are suitable for up to 4 years and if your little boy is tall then it may well be that he becomes uncomfortable in this position. The new i-size regulations recommend rearward facing up to 15 months and although many children are happy rearward facing for much longer it of course always comes down to the individual child’s preference.

Question – What is the difference is between ISOFIX and seat belts to secure car seats of all ages?

ISOFIX is an anchoring technology which minimises installation mistakes and ensures a solid connection between child safety seat and vehicle. Other seats can be secured using a belted fit and the specific instructions for this will vary between car seats and bases.

Question – My daughter is 7 months now but screams when we put her in a rearward facing car seat because she can’t see properly and now she can sit up she hates being forced to lie down. She’s also quite big in her from birth seat now with her legs well over the edge. When should I move her to the next stage car seat and which one? We have an upright one but I’m not sure when she should go in it?

Our i-Anchor seat is suitable from birth up to 4 years and can rearward face for the entirety or you do have the option to forward face from approximately 71cm in height. It fits onto the i-Anchor FIX base which naturally raises the position within the vehicle and has 7 recline positions so you can ensure that your daughter is comfortable. You don’t need to worry about your daughter’s legs coming over the bottom of the seat you’re currently using as it is still perfectly safe and will be suitable for use up to at least 9kg. Most high street stores will offer a free fitting service so if you have any concerns about your current seat then the staff are happy to check how your daughter is positioned.

Question: I am interested in a rearward facing car seat for my one year old. How do the seats cater for children once there legs reach the end of the seat?

This is a very common concern. Children are not like us adults and will often sit very comfortably with their legs crossed in a rear facing seat up until 4 years old. The i-Anchor seat has 7 position reclines so you can always make sure that extra room can be created when needed too.

Question: Where is the best place to go and try the Joie i-Anchor rearward facing car seat out?

Mothercare, Kiddicare and Mamas and Papas stock the i-Anchor safe system

Question: I wanted to know whether ISOFIX fitted seats are safer than belted? And also does front vs rear facing make a difference in collisions from the side of the car?

ISOFIX fitted seats remove the possibility of human error when fitting t and ensures that they can be easily removed and replaced perhaps when using different vehicles. However, a correctly fitted belted car seat is also a very safe option. Facing rearward manages the force of a crash in any direction, protecting developing little necks and spines up to 5 times more than forward facing.

Question: I have a 5 & 6 year old, as a safety conscious parent, would a rear facing car seat be recommended for that age group?

Unfortunately current rearward facing seats become unsuitable for a child when they reach approximately 4 years old so the best seats for your 5 and 6 year old would be a high backed booster seat. Please do take a look at the Joie range at www.joiebaby.com

Question: My baby boy was born 9 weeks early and really struggled with getting him to sit correctly in our newborn car seat. Does the new i-size car seat support the smaller babies well? Also what is the minimum weight it is suitable for?

The i-Anchor seat itself is suitable from birth to 4 years and has removable inserts that fully support a newborn and then can be removed as the child gets older. As it is compatible with the new i-size regulations these take into account the child’s height rather than weight so it is suitable for use from 40cm -105cm.

Question: Is there a ‘shelf life’ on the car seats? I.e. if I use the seat for baby number 1 for 3 years from 12 months to age approximately 4, will that seat be OK to use for baby number 2 for a further 3 years? If there’s a gap between babies, would the seat still be suitable for use say 7 or 8 years after initial purchase?

Yes all seats have a shelf life, plastic degrades over time, we at Joie have metal frameworks within our plastic shells to give a greater rigidity to the plastics and a long life but we still only recommend use of these seats from between 5-10 years for group 1,2 seats, depending on model. So to sum it up most seats will actually only be suitable for the use of one child and it is best practise to not pass on to the next child.

Question: The rearward facing car seat stats all seem to refer to head on collisions which are probably a bit more rare in the UK, how do the safety stats compare against forward facing for side & rear collisions?

The majority of impacts are still head on in the UK, when looking at statistics for side and rear collisions the impact speed is normally lower due to the scenario in which it occurs (traffic island, road junction) where as head on collisions will be between 2 cars travelling together so the impact speeds are greater, hence the need for rear facing travel for longer. If rear facing when in a side collision the protection from a good child seat is basically the same as forwards facing. When rear facing in a rear end collision it is the same as a child forwards facing during a collision but thankfully the impact speeds are normally lower due to both vehicles travelling in the same direction. Obviously we hope we will never have a collision to test the seats but it is best to prepare for the worst possible scenario which would be a head on crash scenario hence extended rear facing is far safer.

Question: It appears i-Anchor can be used with the belt and ISOFIX, does that mean it can be used with just the belt as well? My car doesn’t have ISOFIX ports.

Yes the i-Anchor FIX base can be installed with a belted fit so you can still use the system in a car without ISOFIX points

Question: I have recently moved my son into a forward facing car seat – he is nearly 2. After reading about the improved safety of rearward facing I am now thinking of buying a rearward facing- any tips for helping him adjust to facing the other way? Think he might moan a bit!!

Children tend to adapt to new experiences a lot better than us! We would recommend attaching a mirror to the back seat so that you can keep an eye on each other and also giving him a book, favourite toy or snack will also help keep him entertained. Good luck with the switch!

Question: We have just bought a forward facing seat and I wasn’t aware of the i-size legislation! Why has it not been more widely publicised?

The i-size regulations run parallel to the current regulations to 2018 and most notably promote rearward facing up to 15 months to help support neck and spine development. There’s no need to change the seat you have currently bought but for more information please see http://www.joiebaby.com/isize/

Question: My daughter suffers occasionally from motion sickness (she is 3) – is rearward facing likely to make this worse?

Unfortunately motion sickness is able to occur when both rearward and forward facing so neither position has been proven to help or hinder. It’s very much up to the preference of the individual child what helps them.

Question: I am a single mum and the rearward facing car seats look quite complicated to install – is it more straightforward than it looks?

Our i-Anchor seat is very simple to install as the base can either be fixed using ISOFIX or a belted fit and the base itself features a step by step guide. The seat can then be attached with one click and for both the base and seat there are colour indicators which turn green when fitted correctly.

Question: Are rearward facing car seats suitable for long journeys?

Yes rearward facing car seats are suitable for long journeys in the same way that forward facing ones are. For a newborn however we don’t recommend any longer than two hours at a time and older ones will definitely need a little break to stretch their legs once in a while.

Question: My daughter is 13 months old and is already very tall for her age. I’m all for considering an extended rear facing car seat, but worry that her legs will soon be too long to be bunched up facing the back seat. How long does a child remain comfy and not bunched up on one of your rear facing seats?

We get asked this question a lot and children are not like us adults and will often sit very comfortably with their legs crossed in a rear facing seat up until 4 years old. The i-Anchor seat has 7 position reclines so you can always make sure that extra room can be created when needed too.

Question: I’ve been reading the reviews on Which and the joie stages doesn’t get a great review. Can you reassure me about your safety record please?

The Which report which features online is, in our opinion a very broad based test and not specific to the physical car seat. If I could direct you to a direct you to an independent review it perhaps might explain a little more about the reasoning behind their result. https://www.facebook.com/RearFacingToddlers The post is dated February 16th, 2013. We test all of our car seats to above current regulations in our internal testing centre and our commitment to in-car safety is also demonstrated by us being one of the first manufacturers to produce an i-size compatible seat.

We hope you enjoyed these FAQs around rearward facing car seats!