NHTSA Releases 2006 Child Safety Seat Ratings
The newest models of child safety seats are easier to use than their
predecessors, according to an annual National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) survey.
NHTSA rated 99 child safety seats for ease of use from 14 different
manufacturers for 2006. Of the 99 seats rated, 85 received an overall score of
A. In 2005, 74 percent of rated seats received an overall score of A. Clearer
labels and instructions accounted for most of the improvements in 2006.
“Knowing what rating a child safety or booster seat has is the best way for
parents to buy one that is safe, effective and easy to use,” said NHTSA
Administrator Nicole Nason.
NHTSA began its “Ease of Use” ratings for child restraint systems, including
booster seats, in 2003. The agency uses a grading system of A, B, or C to denote
how easy it is to use the safety seats. The top grade is A.
In addition to the overall rating, NHTSA also uses the letter grading system to
denote how well the child safety seats perform in five individual categories:
assembly requirements; clarity of labeling; clarity of written instructions;
ease of securing a child and ease of installation in a vehicle.
The 2006 ratings represent approximately 95 percent of safety seats currently
available to consumers. As in 2005, there were no safety seats that received an
overall "C" rating; however, there were several "C" scores in some individual
categories.
The NHTSA survey also notes that LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children),
a system that makes child safety seat installation easier is required for most
vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2002.
A copy of the 2006 "ease-of-use" ratings can be found at:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm.