Convertible Seat

Member Joined: Jun 30, 2011 Posts: 22

Convertible Seat
The next kind of seat should suit a child once he has exceeded the weight and height limitations of the infant's seat, and can be used to a maximum weight of of 18 to 36kg. This kind of seat can be converted from rear-facing to forward facing. Based on my explaination on the effect of a rear-facing seat, you can understand that it is much safer for children, so the child should be kept facing backwards for as long as possible, up to the age of two years.

Anyhow, you should NEVER convert the seat the forward facing before a minimum of one year of age, ten kilograms of weight and after the child learns to walk. Once faced forward, the manner of fitting the belts on the child changes: The convertible seat also has several slots for the belts to runs through. For a forward facing seat, the belts should run through the rigid-framed slots. If the child's shoulders are not in line with any of the seat's slots, the belts should be fitted to the slot just ABOVE shoulder height, and not those below it, as when the seat is rear-facing.

These seats are much more complex to properly harness to the car with the seatbelts, so the ISOFIX or LATCH mounting will be much appreciated in these kinds of seats.

To move out of the convertible seat, one of the following limitations should be exceeded:
- The seat's specified weight limit
- The height of the child's shoulders: over the topmost belt slot.
- The height of the child's head: Top of the ears in line with the edge of the seat's back rake.

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