Dt. Kindersitze in den USA verwenden: NO!

Tom

Florida-Beginner
Grundsaetzlich ist es nicht erlaubt, deutsche Sitz in den USA zu benutzen und umgekehrt. Fuer Touristen, die ja nur kurze Zeit im Land sind, wird eine Ausnahme gemacht.

Hier mehr Info dazu.
The US law reads:

A person may not manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce, or import into the United States, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment....unless the vehicle or equipment complies with the standard...Title 49 Section 30112 of the US Code of Law

Child seats are items of motor vehicle equipment. The fine is up to $1000 per violation. Federal Law does not address USE so consumers can technically use a non-US certified child seat, but when they brought it in (importation) they broke the law. However, US State Laws prohibit the USE of non-US child seats. US Customs has the right to seize non-complying child seats. Visitors/tourists are given special consideration. (A child seat in US law is one designed for children up to 50 pounds.)

Buying a non-US child seat and bringing it in risks US Customs seizure and fines. Bringing a US seat into Canada is also technically illegal in Canada...visitors get special consideration.

Flights originating in the US require child seats to be certified to US regulations and have the statement on the label in red "approved for aircraft." Europeans going back from the US are unhappy to find that their European infant seat can't be used on board for the return trip...it was ok to get here though.

European (ECE...European Economic Community) and US and Canadian and Australian regulations are different. The myth that ECE, Australian, or Canadian requirements are tougher is false. Some aspects of requirements and testing are tougher or easier in each respective country. For example:

- US requires dynamic (crash) testing with a lap belt only for infant and toddler seats...tougher than anywhere else in the world.

Nearly every infant child seat sold in Europe meeting ECE requirements will FAIL the US test because the seat shells are too weak and will fracture. There are very few exceptions. The US test assumes the worst case scenario...lap belt only, the ECE allows the shoulder belt to be looped around the back of the infant seat for support. Europe had lap-shoulder belts in the outboard rear of cars since 1973...the US since 1989...lots of US vehicles in service with all lap belts in the rear.

Without modification nearly every ECE toddler seat (forward-facing) will FAIL the US test because the head will move too far. The ECE allows the shoulder belt to be used with some form of lock off. - - Locking clips do not exist in Europe.

- Chest clips (harness clips) are not legal in the ECE...require only one latch for release...theoretically emergency release is faster.

- The US crash test pulse is different that the ECE crash pulse and Australian. The ECE pulse is easier than US for some products but the reverse is also true..they are just different.

- Canada uses the US pulse but with a non-moving seatback...US seatback moves...can't predict which is tougher because some models react differently in each test.

- ECE requires impact padding around head...US, Canada require none.

- ECE requires puzzle buckles...must put 2 tongue pieces together then latch. US, Canada, Australia don't.

- US has stricter buckle release force tolerances.

- US has tougher belt webbing abrasion testing...keep 80% of new webbing breaking strength after 2500 rubbing cycles over a hex bar...ECE has no abrasion test but a minimum breaking strength.

- Canada has similar tests to the US but toddler seats are tested with a tether (easier)

- Canada requires bi-lingual French-English labeling...ECE requires native language instructions (many have 10 languages) but no required text.

- US has strict recall and remedy requirements....ECE has none....Australia's are easy...Canada is medium.

- US has an out of control product liability climate...ECE has very weak product liability...normally loser pays...Australia is getting worse...Canada will soon be out of control.

- US/Canada have strict flammability testing...California has a special test...UK has a moderate test...Germany and the other ECE countries have none (why? they don't allow their kids to smoke in child seats)

- ECE has no test for aircraft suitability...US has an inversion test...dummy can't fall out when upside down.

- ECE won't allow overhead shield seats or T-shields

- Only the US has a required airbag warning label...Canada is voluntary but must be bi-lingual.

- Australia requires 6 point belts...(left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip, right hip, 2 at crotch)...the crotch strap is 2 separate straps (inverted "V") to avoid male kids from becoming sopranos.

- Japan will officially accept either ECE or US approval but the product must go through certain "political" tests to be accepted.

There's lots more...the point being that there is no country with the "best" requirements. All countries have some tough tests, some weak tests, some seemingly silly outdated tests. Use a US approved seat in the US, a Canadian approved seat in Canada, an ECE approved seat in Europe, an Australian approved seat in Australia, etc.
 

Tom

Florida-Beginner
In USA haben die Kindersitze auch noch einen riesigen Vorteil. Hier bekommt man inzwischen jede Menge Sitze mit dem LATCH system. Dies ist identisch mit dem europaeischen ISOFIX System. Nur gibt es hier in USA keine Fahrzeugspezifischen Zulassungen. D.h. man kann jeden LATCH Sitz in jedes Auto mit den Latch Halterungen einbauen.
Und allen neuen Autos in USA muessen mittlerweile mit diesem System ausgeruestet sein.

Wir haben selber solch einen Sitz im Auto und die Befestigung ist erheblich besser als nur mit dem Gurt.
Selbst der ADAC hat dies schon in Deutschland bestaetigt.

Was ist Latch/Isofix?
Hier gibt es die Info:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/LATCH/DOTLatch123/
http://www.car-safety.org/latch.html
 
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