STOCKHOLM: From the creators of the three-point safety belt in 1959, Volvo is now celebrating its 25th anniversary of the introduction of the first ever integrated booster cushion for children in 1990.
The Swedish carmaker’s celebration is in conjunction with the United Nations Global Road Safety Week that’s being held from now till May 10.
The booster cushion was essentially a redesigned centre armrest that elevated the seating position of the child so that the existing central three-point safety belt could be used more effectively.
In doing so, this removed the need for further accessories for child restraints for older children and also increased their comfort.
The clear benefit of the integrated design also means that the cushion is always available and the potential for misuse is minimized.
Few carmakers offer integrated booster cushions for children to this day.
Not long ago in 2007, Volvo Cars achieved another world first with the introduction of the integrated two-stage booster cushion, which enables adjustment between two settings for a child’s best seating position depending on height.
With such adjustments, children are now able to look out the window, making them less prone to boredom and agitation – negatively affecting the driver’s experience and concentration.
“At Volvo Cars we believe that car makers should take the responsibility for developing child safety systems as a part of vehicle development to ensure the best performance,” said Volvo Cars Safety Centre senior technical leader Lotta Jakobsson.
Volvo recommends a rearward facing child seat up to the age of four.
According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) statistics in the United States, 71% of unrestrained children were fatally injured, with just 7% wearing a safety belt and 8% using child safety seats – the death toll was 1,131 children.
The death toll in 2013 has fallen to 640 and it was found that 35% of children aged 13 and under and who were unrestrained were fatally injured, while 25% of them wore safety belts and 32% were in a child safety seat.
Keyword: Volvo's integrated child booster seat celebrates 25th anniversary