What Are Child Safety Seat Ratings

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responsible for child safety seat ratings. The purpose of the ratings is two fold:

• To help consumers make educated decisions when buying safety seats for children.
• To help manufacturers be aware of those aspects of their product which should be improved.

The NHTSA inspects and evaluates safety seats for their ease of use and for their ease of installation. They grade them on each of the following categories:

• Whether the safety seat is pre-assembled or requires assembly after purchase.
• The clarity of the labeling attached to the safety seat.
• The clarity of the written instructions explaining the proper use of the safety seat.
• The ease with which a child can correctly be secured in the safety seat.
• Whether the safety seat has features that make it easy to correctly install in a vehicle.

Each category is assessed a letter grade, A, B, or C. Just like a school report card. An overall grade for the safety seat is determined based upon the letter grades for each category. These ratings are applicable for child safety seats sold within the USA and Canada.

NHTSA safety seat ratings are not safety performance ratings. Seats are not crash tested. Ease of Use ratings do not imply some child safety seats are safer than others. The ratings only indicate which safety seats are easier to install and easier to use.

This may not seem like useful information but it is. Proper installation and proper use are the most critical factors for ensuring the safety of your infant or child while in a safety seat. Seats which are difficult to install or difficult to use may cause you to install them incorrectly or secure your child incorrectly resulting in injury or worse during a crash. When you select a safety seat which is easy to install and easy to use you will greatly improve its ability to protect your child during a vehicle collision.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has evaluated and rated most child safety seats available to consumers. The complete list of safety seat ratings is available online at their website. See the resource list at the end of this article for direct link access.

How To Use The Ratings

The NHTSA ratings are grouped by safety seat type:

• Infant - These are infant carrier type safety seats.
• Combination - These are safety seats which can be used as an infant car seat, then as a child car seat, and finally as a booster seat. Ratings are provided for each seat for each type of use. That is, a particular safety seat will be rated 3 times: when it is used as an infant seat, when it is used as child car seat and when it is used as a booster seat.
• Convertible - These are safety seats that can be used as an infant car seat and then as a child car seat. They cannot be used as a booster seat. Ratings are provided for each seat for each type of use.
• Forward Facing - These are safety seats that can only be used as a child car seat. They cannot be used as an infant car seat or as a booster seat.

Note: The 2005 NHTSA ratings had a link for a style called Forward Facing Only - but did not list any seats. Inclusion of this link may be a typo by the writer of the NHTSA ratings web page.

Since there are only three grade levels you will find many safety seats with the same overall Ease of Use rating. To help you narrow down your choices you might look at the ratings for the individual categories.

For example, if you expect to frequently transfer the safety seat between different vehicles you should consider the ratings for the Installing Features category. If you intend for the safety seat to only be in one vehicle then the Installing Features category is not so important. If you frequently have to put your child into a safety seat then the category about Securing the Child should be a strong consideration.

They Wont Work If You Dont Use Them

In America today, 98 percent of infants under age 1 and 89 percent of children ages 1 to 4 are now regularly restrained. Far too many children ages 4 to 8, however, are not properly restrained. Fewer than 20 percent of those 4 to 8 who should use a booster seat actually do use one.

Remember, a child safety seat will not work if your child does not use it. Children rely on you as parents and caregivers for their safety. Please ensure seats are installed and used correctly. A highly rated safety seat will be easier for you to install correctly and will make it easier for you to secure your child correctly. This helps you provide the best protection for your child. All states have laws requiring children to be restrained while in a motor vehicle. Know the laws for your state.

Resources: The web locations of NHTSA safety seat ratings and state child safety seat laws occasionally change. You will find up-to-date direct links to this important information at http://www.infant-car-seats.net/links.htm