The Plus test is a special impact test, performed at the prestigious institute VTI in collaboration with other institutions such as NTF, Folksam, Volvo, representatives of car seat manufacturers in Sweden. This test has several components: a dynamic test, a test of components, their drag and the rate of combustion (flammability).
It is a mandatory test for car seats for the Swedish market, but there are many international manufacturers who want to test their newly launched models and obtain PLus certification.
All car seats marked with the Plus test mark are approved for installation in all passenger seats in the vehicle.
The car seats that have passed the Plus test offer maximum protection for the child’s cervical area (neck area), which is subjected to extraordinarily strong forces in the event of an impact.
The Plus marking applied to car seats has two versions: approved seats up to a maximum weight of 18 kg and approved seats up to a maximum weight of 25 kg.
The Plus test measures the forces to which the child’s neck area is exposed in the event of a frontal collision. This type of testing is not done in another European country and is not part of the process of approving a car seat.
The Plus test is performed by VTI, the National Research Institute for Roads and Transport in Sweden and is a voluntary test, at the discretion of the manufacturer, being the only one of its kind (unlike the tests performed by ADAC, OAMTC which are independent and which the manufacturer cannot request them).
The Plus test is done for chairs from groups 1 and 2, groups for children aged between 1 and 6 years and weighing between 9 and 25 kg.
Here are some requirements that a car seat must meet in order to be tested Plus:
- To be approved for installation both in the front passenger seat and in the rear seats of the vehicle
- A seat that can be used up to 2 kg when mounted on the front seat and only up to 18 kg for the rear seat it will be marked 18 on the stcker with the Plus test
- To obtain the Plus 25 kg mark, the seat must be able to be installed up to 25 kg in all places in the vehicle
- An extended Rear-Facing seat with Isofix attachment can receive a Plus mark up to a maximum of 18 kg, because the car’s Isofix anchors are not dimensioned up to 25 kg
- A seat with a Plus mark up to 18 kg is not worse compared to a seat with a Plus mark up to 25 kg, but if you want the little one to travel as far back as possible in the direction of travel, then we recommend you to opt for those models with a Plus mark up to 25 kg.
Seats that are mounted facing the direction of travel are unlikely to ever pass the Plus test, given the parameters measured in this regard, namely the forces exerted on the child’s cervical spine in the event of a frontal collision at a speed of 56.5 km / h with short braking distance.
Here is a list of car seat models, from manufacturers present in Romania as well. In this list you will find both details regarding the upper weight or height limit up to which the respective model was tested Plus (visible even on the sticker applied on the seat by most manufacturers – with small exceptions), as well as additional details to the mounting mode, the type of approval and whether the seat has been tested by the manufacturer (not Plus) and for side impact.
We wanted to provide parents in Romania with clear, non-commercial and uninterpreted information in favor or against a specific brand or model about this impact test, about how it is performed and about the models that were subjected to this test..
We look forward to seeing you at Child Safety Center to find out more and test a wide range of child car seats, all selected in the most rigorous way by our specialists based on objective criteria.
Our mission is that every child who leaves in a car seat tested and installed by our specialists is properly protected during the trip by car.