Car seat brand BeSafe brought together key voices from across Europe on Thursday 12th June for a landmark event in Oslo, Norway, designed to drive forward the conversation on car seat safety and the importance of Extended Rear Racing (ERF).
Attended by a mix of retailers and influencers from across Europe, the event spotlighted some of the sector’s biggest challenges, from lack of parental consciousness around car seat use to misuse of safety features and the critical need to improve awareness around Extended Rear Facing.
The event was opened by Magnus Hjertø Tollefsen, CEO of HTS BeSafe AS, who emphasised the group’s commitment to Safe Mobility across its three brands – BeSafe, VOKSI and MiniMeis – with the powerful message “Let’s make it safer together.”
Magnus reflected on the importance of collaboration “Having our retail and influencer partners from across Europe together in one room is an invaluable step forward. It allows us to align on our shared mission: to protect children on the roads. Through innovation, education, and strong partnerships, BeSafe is committed to raising awareness and supporting parents to make the safest choices possible.”
Among the UK attendees was Alan Peacock from Little Peas in Fife, who praised the event’s scope and depth:
“The Safety Conference in Oslo was an extremely informative event. BeSafe organised a variety of diverse speakers from every corner of the industry. We learned more from BeSafe itself about current and future products and technologies, as well as gaining insight from organisations like ADAC and VTI on the future of car seat testing and test-impact modelling. Thank you, BeSafe.”
One of the standout attendees was UK influencer The Enchanted Nanny, who uses her platform to support parents with expert-backed, educational content. Her social media coverage from the event has already generated close to 3 million views across TikTok and Instagram, reflecting the appetite for clear and trustworthy information on car seat safety.
“I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to BeSafe’s safety event in Oslo,” commented The Enchanted Nanny. “Using my platform to educate parents on the importance of ERF is something I’m incredibly passionate about. The insights I gained, particularly around misuse and Norway’s national approach, have been so valuable and will help me share even more accurate, evidence-led advice with families across the UK.”
Key highlights from the event included Silje Kristin Hansen from Trygg Trafikk (Norway) outlined the country’s bold vision of ‘Mission Zero’ a national goal of zero child fatalities on roads by 2050. She shared how Norway is actively promoting ERF car seats and improving awareness through public campaigns and education.
Gerd Müller, Technische Universität, Germany, presented key findings from an in-depth misuse study, highlighting how many accidents result not from faulty equipment but incorrect usage. For example, slack harnesses in Group 1 seats and children being too light for Group 2/3 seats are among the top risks. He urged the industry to unite in preventing misuse through smarter design and better consumer guidance.
Okke van Mourik, Director of New Product Development at BeSafe, presented the brand’s new Beyond concept, which has been engineered with built-in features to reduce misuse risks. He also offered a first look at upcoming innovations, including a new e-buckle with a tightening alert system, designed to support correct usage every time.
Talks from ADAC and VTI provided an insider’s view on car seat testing and its role in pushing safety standards forward, while Daniele Speziani of Phitec, Italy offered insights into virtual crash testing and how it’s shaping the next wave of product development.
The day concluded with a Q&A session, where attendees exchanged ideas and experiences, reaffirming the shared responsibility among brands, governments, and retailers to drive safety improvements.
Hayley Brown from Bijou Baby reflected on the experience, “What an eye-opening and educational trip. Hearing the facts about Extended Rear Facing and Norway’s Mission Zero really hit home. We need a similar mindset in the UK, working together across brands, retailers, and Government to ensure the safety of our children is always the top priority.”
James Harrison, UK Country Manager at BeSafe, added “We’d like to thank all the retailers and influencers who took the time to join us in Oslo. It was a brilliant event where we exchanged knowledge, ideas, and research. It’s only through collective education and collaboration that we can truly make a difference. Together, we can raise awareness and help prevent avoidable tragedies on our roads, and create safer journeys for every child.”
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