What is the R129 regulation?
The ECE R129 was first introduced in 2013 and the existing ECE R44 standard was allowed to run in parallel. While R44 car seats can still currently be purchased, from the 1st September 2023, R129 will become the only approved car seat standard.
The simplest way to understand the ECE R129 regulation is that it focuses on the child’s height rather than their weight. It’s often a challenge for parents to know when they should upgrade their child’s car seat. Therefore, height can more accurately allow parents to measure if an existing car seat is the best fit for their little one rather than weight.
It's recommended that children travel rearward facing up to a minimum of 75cm (approx.15 months) as research shows that this gives them time to develop and ensure their neck is strong enough to support their head. R129 car seats also undergo further testing than other car seat standards including side impact testing and Q dummy crash tests which include 32 sensors.