Children who are not secured are seven times more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a car accident than children secured with a child restraint system (source: German Road Safety organisation, information sheet No.4, May 2009). Therefore, we recommend always using a child car seat. Every seat, regardless of the design, ensures a much higher level of safety compared to driving without any child restraint system

The majority of accidents – 73 % – are frontal with side-impact collisions making up 26% and the remaining 1% being rear crashes (source: Kirk A. Lesire P. (2021) Report on Accident Analysis. Deliverable 3.2.3 of CASPER Project).

Our car seats are tested by independent institutes on a regular basis. We are proud to announce that our car seats continuously receive top results in the most important European safety and consumer tests. These tests are run between several test institutes such as the ADAC, TCS, ÖAMTC and Stiftung Warentest. They test not just safety with real crash tests, but the ergonomics of the seats, their ease of handling and their materials.

Approximately one out of four vehicle crashes have a side-impact component. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), impacts to the side of the vehicle rank almost equal to frontal crashes as a source of fatalities and serious injuries for children aged 0 to 12 years.

When the Anoris T i-Size airbag inflates, it forms a C-shape around the impact shield, cushioning the child from the head to their knees. This is designed to stop forward motion, distribute forces across the entire body and hold the child securely in place. This innovation not only achieves unprecedented safety levels and a compact shield design, but also helps parents choose the comfort of forward-facing travel and rear mirror communication with the child with peace of mind.

Linear Side-impact Protection absorbs the force of a side-impact collision in a linear series of reactions, working together with the seat's energy-absorbing shell. The kinetic body energy triggered by an accident is absorbed and the head and upper body move into a safe position. Especially the child's sensitive head and shoulder area are protectively locked inside the safety zone of the seat and the forces of an accident are distributed away from the child. Force is reduced by 20-25% by the energy absorbing shell in combination with the Linear Side-impact Protection (L.S.P.).

Whereas injuries caused by airbags of the car and belts have decreased in number, side-impact collisions make up a quarter of all accidents with injuries, and these are particular dangerous for children. Recent research involving several different seat types shows that about 50% of side collision accidents cause severe head injuries and 12% involve thorax injuries (EC FP7 CASPER Project from 2012).

The minimal space on either side of the car cannot compete with the protective function of a crumple zone, making side-impact collisions considerably more dangerous than head-on road accidents. A high-quality car seat should, therefore, be equipped with suitable protection that helps prevent injuries to the child in a side-impact collision.

Side protectors are an effective safety measure and are embedded in the CYBEX safety principles.

All CYBEX car seats are fitted with a Linear Side-impact Protection System (L.S.P. System). These additional side-impact protectors absorb the force of a side impact early on, effectively protecting the head and upper body in a collision.

CYBEX recommends that children travel in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible, ideally up to the age of four. The rear-facing position is optimal as the energy of a frontal collision is distributed evenly over the large area of the seat and the vulnerable parts of the child’s body are better protected. The exception to that rule came to market in November 2021 with the forward-facing Anoris T i-Size, which uses airbag technology to deliver equal (if not superior) protection to rear-facing travel.

Sometimes, situation can arise that require toddlers to be switched to a forward-facing car seat, for example, if a new car is smaller or only has two doors, or the child gets easily travel sick.

In these situations, CYBEX' forward-facing car seats equipped with impact shields (with or without airbag technology) are the best possible alternatives. These offer excellent protection without confining the child. In the event of a collision, force is distributed over the large area of the impact shield, which significantly reduces the strain on the critical neck, shoulder and head areas by approx. 40% in comparison to a conventional forward-facing seat with a harness system. In this way, the impact shield acts in a similar way to an already-inflated airbag. Seatbelts, which can cut into the child in an accident, are absent, and the vulnerable neck and shoulder area are protected. In tests by leading European consumer organisations, car seats with impact shields regularly receive top results.

The CYBEX patented 3-position reclining headrest is a feature of some of our toddler car seats and high back booster seats. It is a simple, but effective technology that helps prevent the child's head from falling forward while asleep, therefore keeping the head in the protected area of the seat. It increases safety by 150% in the event of a side-impact accident.

Side-impact collisions are particularly dangerous for children. This is due to the lack of space between the seat and the side of the car. There is no crumple zone to absorb impact forces as there is in a front crash scenario. Accident statistics collected in the EU show 54% of side-impact collision in which the child was sitting in a high back booster seat resulted in severe head injuries. (EC FP7 CASPER Project from 2012).
Therefore, a high-quality car seat should be equipped with features that help protect the child in the event of a side-impact. Our reclining headrest is a revolutionary technology that safely shifts the balance point of the child's head slightly back. This helps prevent the head from falling forward while the child is asleep.

In the event of a side-impact collision, the child's sensitive head is more likely to be within the safety zone of the seat, ensuring optimal protection in addition to a more comfortable sleeping position for a safe and peaceful journey.

We conducted extensive internal testing of the Anoris T i-Size airbag using 2,021 ADAC frontal crash test criteria. The results of this testing showed that the airbag delivers a level of safety equal to, or better than, a rear-facing car seat, and up to 50% better than a comparable forward-facing seat (When compared to a forward-facing harness child seat in a frontal crash).