Revisions To NHTSA Ease of Use Car Seat Program

[tyler]

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

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

[Papooses]

From another CPST:

. . . they have front facing harnesed/booster seats listed as "Convertibles". These seats cannot be used rear facing and are not convertible seats.

And, also a few things on my own mind to warn parents/caregivers about....

1. It's still quite subjective (carseat:vehicle compatability / carseat:child compatability / carseat:adult compatability) -- every adult, child & vehicle is different -- the same carseat does not always work the same way for every adult, for all children or in various vehicles

2. *HELP GUIDE* are the key words. This is not a definitive, only resource, final answer type of rating

3. We can only merely continue to hope that this is 1 step closer to vehicle + carseat manufacturers working together to make more carseats fit more vehicles more easily. Techs have been waiting for that to happen for decades already

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.