From JPMA:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be announcing updates to their “Ease of Use” ratings for child restraints (car seats). The new 2008 Ease of Use ratings, using revised updated criteria and “stars”, will be published for car seats currently on retail shelves. These ratings do not involve the crashworthiness or safety of seats. All seats must meet stringent crash test requirements prior to sale in the United States.
What is changing in the NHTSA Ease of Use Program?
While the updated Ease of Use Program maintains the focus on efforts to reflect easier installation and use of seats, the evaluation criteria are being expanded to include and rate the car seats based on the presence of design features and installation references on the seats that may make it easier for consumers to install seats.
The update also includes a change from the current letter grading system (A, B, or C) to a new Ease of Use “Star Rating” system (1 to 5 stars, 5 being the highest rating) like that used by NHTSA in other ratings.
What does this mean?
1. Ratings will change - Ratings for car seats currently on the retail shelves and being used by consumers will change for 2008. While the majority of car seats in 2007 received an “A” rating, we expect to see much more variation in and some lowering of the ratings for these same car seat models as new, different criteria are used to rate them. Lower priced car seats and multi-use model car seats, like
convertibles, may receive lower star ratings if additional instructions are needed to install them.
2. Star instead of letter ratings - Ease of Use ratings for car seats will move from a letter to a star system. The star ratings for car seats must not be confused with stars used to rate vehicle crash performance as they are used in NHTSA rating programs. Nothing’s more important than reassuring consumers and eliminating confusion and concern about crash performance. All these seats are crashworthy.
What You Can Do
Exercise care in all communications to clearly state that car seats star ratings only relate to Ease of Use.
Cooperatively work with other industry members to develop consistent messaging for the new rating system to support a successful implementation.
Please visit the Breaking News section of the JPMA website for further details and a brochure on the program:
http://www.jpma.org/pdfs/2008_nhtsa_...ilerUpdate.pdf http://www.jpma.org/pdfs/2008_nhtsa_...AEaseOfUse.pdf http://www.jpma.org/pdfs/2008_nhtsa_...oUBrochure.pdf
Thank you.
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association