The protective effects of rearward facing Child Restraint Systems CRS : an overview of possibilities and problems associated with child restraints of children aged 0-3 years.

Small children can not use adult restraint systems in passenger cars. Their size, anatomy, tolerance to trauma and their social behaviour are factors that must be considered when designing child restraint systems (CRS). Surprisingly, and differently from adult restraint systems, CRS are not designed in the same way indicating that in different parts of the world, the analysis of the best protectivce systems is not the same. In the Nordic countries the tradition has been long in protecting children up to the age of 3 years by rearward facing systems. As they have proven to be very effective, it is important to share the experience with countries where less effective restraint systems for small children are used. children are used. This paper presents several aspects of rearward facing systems.