Child safety seats are regularly rated by government agencies and independent researchers. However, these ratings are not always focused on the safety of the seat. To decide which car seat is the safest for the particular style and function you require, you need to understand what the rating bodies review to create a rating for a particular seat.
Types
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the government body that reviews and rates car seats. Its ratings are based on a star system using one to five stars. Consumer Reports rates car safety seats based on the standard rating system used for all products they review. Their ratings range from excellent, a full red circle, to poor, represented by a full black circle. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a non-profit, independent rating organization, rates child safety seats ranging from Best Bet to Not Recommended.
Considerations
The NHTSA's ratings focus solely on how easy the car seat is to use based on its label and manual. In contrast, both Consumer Reports and the IIHS regularly review car seats based on their safety features and how they perform in crash tests. While Consumer Reports rating systems may be familiar to many, they don't fully disclose the testing process. As a result, it can be difficult to understand the justification for a rating.
History
Car seats were first rated by the NHTSA in 2003. The association now updates its ratings on annually. Consumer Reports released its first rating in July 2001. Another full review was published in May 2003, followed by an update in August 2004. In 2010, the most current reviews from Consumer Reports are from the May 2005 issue. The IIHS rates child safety seats on an annual basis, and first tested booster seats in 2008.
Benefits
By understanding how a rating is developed, you can be a better, more informed shopper and select the car safety seat that best meets your needs. Ratings provide a background to help you understand how a car seat will work for you as a parent, with the NHTSA information, as well as how safe it will keep your child, based on ratings of organizations such as IIHS.
Misconceptions
Ratings alone aren't foolproof. To know whether a child safety seat is going to suit your child, sit her in the seat and observe how the safety restraints fit. Test the fit of belts across the abdomen and shoulders in booster seats. For infant or child seats, look at how safety harnesses fit across the shoulders and whether your child can undo the buckle. Because all children are different, focus on weight and height information, not age, when reviewing ratings for safety seats, as well as your own observations.
