ISOFix seat in a side-impact - any thoughts?

[sayitwithme]

My husband and I are needing to buy a new car seat for our toddler. She is currently in a Britax Group 1 with a 5-point harness, which we would like to put our growing son into so we need a replacement seat for her. Our dilemma is, do we go for an ISOFix seat or a Group 1-2-3, which don't come with ISOFix. The dilemma hinges on the answer to the following question: are the ISOFix seats more vulnerable to a side-impact? My husband seems to think that in a side-impact collision, a child seat mounted using the ISOFix fittings will hold the child in the path of the colliding vehicle whereas if the child seat is fixed using a seat belt, there will be some give, thus allowing the child some limited ability to move with the impact. Any experts out there with any thoughts on this?

bump

Here.

www.sikkerautostol.dk/category/isofix-vs-bilseleisofix-vs-seatbelt/

It´s about rearfacing vs. forwardfacing, but it does say a lt about isofix vs seatbelt.

Lena

Thanks for responding lenats31 but the link doesn't appear to work, even when I copy and paste it into the browser. Please could you check and re-post? Thanks!

I just looked at that site, and found this: www.sikkerautostol.dk/2010/09/isofix-vs-bilseleseatbelt/

I think it's the link the PP was trying to give. It needs translation, though.

The relevant passage (translated by google) is:

Lastly, in studies performed by the UK Transport Research Lab, improvements
were noted in side impact performance for various types of ISOFIX seats. The
reason is most likely linked to the lateral stiffness provided by the hard
European ISOFIX anchors. These seat move less in side impact and are
therefore likely to perform better in the real world.

www.sikkerautostol.dk/2010/09/isofix-vs-bilseleseatbelt/

It is the entire mail

Furthermore, most side impact crahses are also frontal impact crashes. The reason is simple:

the cars involved are usually in forward motion. Also most drivers tend to hit the brakes.

The seats that are installed using the car seatbelt must be installed with two extra belts that anchor the seat to the front seat itself or the front seat rails. All rearfacing seats should lean on the front seat or dashboard and be used with the footprop or clamp at all times. These feautres add stability in the seats in all types of crahses.

A seatbelt installed ERF seat can be installed as rigid as the isofix seats.

Lena