A new compact suitcase that can be fixed securely in the back seat of a car will be launched in the UK in the coming weeks via a crowdfunding campaign.
Developed in Spain, the ‘Fixeta’ suitcase is secured via the ISOFIX anchoring points which are used to secure child car seats. All new vehicles produced since February 2013 are required to have ISOFIX lower anchorages and top tether attachments. The two Fixeta connectors are sufficient to secure the suitcase without the need for a top tether.
Using ISOFIX to create a rigid link between the Fixeta and the car means the suitcase will not move in the event of a collision, or if the driver needs to brake sharply, thereby enhancing the safety of vehicle occupants.
Fixeta is tested to ISO 13216-3-2006 standard. Its maximum recommended weight capacity of 22kg and dimensions mean it can be used as cabin luggage when flying.
For more information visit the Fixeta website or contact Jesús Hernández by email.
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Aren’t suitcases normally supposed to go in the purpose-built luggage space anyway? ..or, if they have to go in the passenger compartment, why not on the floor behind the front seats? Still, if you have to put one on the back seat, this method seems like a good idea, as our common sense tells us that unrestrained objects (and people) will fly forward under severe braking causing injury, without having to check back to see if they ever actually have. Any front seat occupant hit by an unrestrained suitcase after heavy braking would probably not feel the need to report it to the police just so it can eventually appear on casualty statistics.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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To put this development into context, do we know how many people are killed or seriously injured each year by unrestrained suitcases, or how much more effective this ISOFIX system is than the standard seat-belt at reducing suitcase injuries?
Charles, England
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