Statement from Mifold on proposed changes to European car seat regulations

There has been widespread coverage in the media about proposed changes to the European regulations for child car safety seats, including those on sale in the UK.  This notice is to clarify the situation and to reassure our customers that the Mifold® Grab-and-Go booster seat™ complies with all relevant regulatory requirements and is completely unaffected by the proposed changes.

Overview

  • Proposed changes to the European car seat laws do not appy to existing booster seats currently on sale in the market, including the Mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat, or any existing child restraint system that is available for sale in the UK

  • Mifold meets or exceeds all relevant regulatory requirements and will continue to do so after any proposed changes for all children aged 4+, weighing between 15kg and 36kg irrespective of height.

  • The schedule to implement new laws has been delayed again; the Department for Transport say that it will probably be later next year.

  • If new laws are implemented, the Mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat will continue to be sold and used for the safety of all children aged 4+, weighing between 15kg and 36kg irrespective of height throughout Europe with no new, additional restrictions.

  • The European regulators are entrusted with monitoring the safety of children in cars. Their commitment to continue to license all existing booster seats for sale and continued use, without limitation, is their recognition that booster seats are a safe, well-established, practical, proven and cost effective method of restraining children in cars.

  • Mifold encourages caregivers to use the most protective car seat available that is suitable to the child, the circumstances and the vehicle being used.

  • Mifold is a safe belt positioning booster seat that is available all the time. Unlike traditional bulky booster seats, a child can always be safe with the innovative Mifold belt positioning device - no matter whose car they are in.

Background

There has been widespread coverage in the media about proposed changes to the European regulations for child car safety seats, including those in the UK.  The proposals are to restrict the development of new backless booster seats and limit their use to taller children, above the height of 125cm.  

This changes only apply to new products and does not affect products that have already been regulated. Therefore, all existing backless booster seats, continue to be legal and safe per their usage instructions even after any changes in the regulations.

The European regulators are entrusted with monitoring the safety of children in cars. Their commitment to continue to license all existing booster seats for sale and continued use, without limitation, is their recognition that booster seats are a safe, well-established, practical, proven and cost effective method of restraining children in cars. 

In the case of the Mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat, this is for children aged four years old and above who weigh between 15kg and 36kg. The current regulations under which Mifold is certified, does not specify a minimum or maximum height requirement.

The Mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat not only meets but in certain criteria also exceeds the current regulatory standards. There are also other products available on the market that exceed the standards, in different ways to Mifold. We have used them with our own children over the years. We therefore always encourage caregivers to use the most protective car seat available that is suitable to the child, the circumstances and the vehicle being used.

Mifold has created a new and different solution to a recurring need. There are many journeys made where children do not have a booster seat and travel without any form of assisted protection beyond using a regular adult sized seat-belt.  Recently Good Egg Safety in the UK reported that a shocking 34% of 8 to 11-year olds are not using a booster seat on car journeys, when one is required. US publication “Pediatric Magazine” famously reported research showing that 50% of kids in the USA don't have the right booster when carpooling. A US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) status report noted that one in five parents whose children carpool say they "bend the rules" when they drive, allowing children to ride without boosters.

The simple fact is that today, after decades of improvements in the rate of adoption of child restraints, there are still many journeys where children do not have an appropriate restraint (estimated at 20% of all journeys).  In rotas for the school run, with grandparents or other relatives, in taxis, on holiday, in rental cars and so on.  This does not include bigger kids who have reached the border of the regulatory limits, who do not want to appear babyish in front of their larger friends that have already outgrown their car seats.  The reason is obvious.  Life with kids does not always go to plan.  There are times when a booster seat is simply not available.

With Mifold, we eliminate these real-life limitations.  For the first time ever, Mifold is solving the problem when a bulky restraint is not available.

There is no longer any excuse.  With a compact and portable device, a child can easily keep one with them all the time and drivers can practically keep spares, without cluttering up a car and losing cabin or luggage space.  With Mifold, a child can always be safe no matter whose car they travel in.  Mifold is a practical and viable solution to every scenario where compliance failures arise.  We are receiving a very enthusiastic response from safety experts and advocates, who truly care about the safety of children in cars.

The Mifold booster car seat conforms to the most universally accepted global booster car seat regulations currently in force: European Union ECE R44.4; FMVSS 213 in the United States, and the RSSR regulations in Canada.   

The Mifold booster car seat conforms to the most universally accepted global booster car seat regulations currently in force: European Union ECE R44.4; FMVSS 213 in the United States, and the RSSR regulations in Canada.   

For more information on Mifold, please visit www.Mifold.com
Jon Sumroy
CEO