2008 Child Safety Seat Ease of Use Ratings

 

Are All Seats Safe?
All car seats rated by NHTSA meet Federal Safety Standards & strict crash performance standards. While all rated seats are safe, they do differ in their ease of use in four basic catagories:

 

Evaluation of Instructions

Vehicle Installation Features

Evaluation of Labels

Securing the Child

 

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Alpha Sport 3 Phase (FF)

 

Alpha Sport 3 Phase (FF)

 

Manufacturer  /  Model NameAlpha Sport 3 Phase (FF)
Model Number  /  Manufacture Date22-458-NYC  /  Dec 1, 2006
Harness Type5-pt
Weight  /  Height22-40lb/34"-43"
Evaluation of Labels1 stars
No picture of child properly restrained in seat. Tether is not labeled in illustrations. No indication of correct harness slot height is given. Belt path is labeled on one side only. Labels do not remind caregiver to tighten LATCH belt. Caregiver must read text to complete tether installation.
Evaluation of Instructions1 stars
Instruction manual storage is difficult to find and/or use. No full picture exists of a properly restrained child in the child restraint. No additional sizing information is given. All methods of installation are not labeled. Warning that the safest place is the rear seat is buried in a bulleted list. Caregiver must read text to route LATCH. Names on manual/on labels do not match.
Securing the Child2 stars
The harness clip is not labeled with placement instructions. A headhugger or body pillow covers the harness slots. Harness must be rethread to adjust. Loose parts are generated when disassembling for cleaning.
Installation Features4 stars
Lower attachments require twisting to remove from the vehicle. No storage system exists for LATCH/tether.
Overall Ease of Use Rating2 stars

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