Axkid Responds to Alarming European Crash Statistics: Launches New Rear-Facing Car Seat

Axkid continues to lead the way in child traffic safety by launching a car seat designed to extend rear-facing travel. Through conversations with European families, the manufacturer discovered that many parents avoid rear-facing seats despite their proven safety advantages.

In Europe, over 18 children are seriously injured in traffic accidents daily, and one child dies. Tragically, more than 6,000 children lost their lives in traffic accidents between 2011 and 2020. Crash statistics and the number of injured children vary significantly between countries *. The single most important measure to increase child traffic safety is to extend rear-facing travel, allowing children to travel rear-facing until an older age **.

The Swedish manufacturer Axkid sought to understand why parents opt out of rear-facing car seats by surveying 250 families and retailers from over 10 countries. The results show that many parents believe rear-facing car seats limit their child's legroom and take up too much space in the car. However, rear-facing travel is up to five times safer for children. In response, Axkid is now launching the Axkid One 3.

– Interviews reveal that subjective thoughts on comfort often take precedence over safety. Moreover, some stores do not even offer a range that follows Swedish recommendations for child car safety. Therefore, we needed to develop a seat with the highest possible safety, the best legroom on the market, and minimal space requirements, says Daniel Johansson, CEO of Axkid. He continues:

– This is how the seat was developed, and our hope is that it will help improve child safety across Europe. No one should have to compromise on safety or comfort, says Daniel Johansson, CEO of Axkid.

With a rear-facing seat, the force of a collision is distributed over the back. In a forward-facing seat, the force is concentrated on the neck, which can be life-threatening.
– It's concerning that many parents choose forward-facing seats, thinking it provides more space in the car. This should not be the case, and we aim to change that now, says Daniel Johansson, CEO of Axkid.

Children: a vulnerable group
In traffic, children are more vulnerable than other groups, partly because their heads account for a quarter of their total body weight, compared to 6 percent for adults.

In addition to the direction the seat faces, the installation method significantly impacts safety. A common method is belt installation, but this carries clear safety risks if the seat is incorrectly installed. Incorrect handling during installation can occur, compromising safety even though a correctly installed belt-mounted car seat can be equally safe ***. Axkid's new car seat is installed using ISOfix, which, combined with its rear-facing design, is the safest option.

– It is much easier to install, minimizing the risk of incorrect installation. For rear-facing travel, it is also a more natural seating position. Therefore, there is no reason to choose other options for the child's comfort, concludes Daniel Johansson, CEO of Axkid.

AXKID ONE 3 – PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Approved Age: 0 – 7 years
Maximum Child Weight: 23 kg
Child Height: 61–125 cm
Seat Weight: 10 kg
Legroom: 13 positions
Extended Legroom: up to 30 cm, adjustable forward/backward
Installation: ISOFIX
Anpassningsbart huvudstöd: automatic adjustment to the child's height
Position: rear-facing
Sleepweell: reclinable between 0 - 42°
Easyclimb: facilitates independent entry and exit for older children
Plus Test: approved
I-Size: approved
Installation Time: 30 seconds
30% less material usage than comparable ISOFIX seats on the market
Made from recycled textiles

* https://etsc.eu/reducing-child-deaths-on-european-roads-pin-flash-43/
**https://www.trafikverket.se/contentassets/300afb3fe52e411ab94d48fa13150e72/s9109_barn_i_bil_rekommendation.pdf
*** https://www.folksam.se/forsakringar/barnforsakring/montera-bilbarnstol