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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Evenflo Maestro (FF)

 

 

Manufacturer  /  Model NameEvenflo Maestro
Model Number  /  Manufacture Date31021433  /  Apr 6, 2016
Harness Type5-pt
Weight  /  Height22lb - 50lb / 28" - 50"
Evaluation of Labels 1 stars
Supplemental sizing information is given in text only on the labels (not illustrated). The tether is not labeled in the illustrations depicting acceptable modes of installation. No indication of correct harness height is given on the labels. The belt routing path is only clearly labeled on one side. Labeling does not show how to prepare LATCH attachments and tether strap for use.
Evaluation of Instructions 3 stars
The owner's manual was not attached to the seat when it was removed from its packaging. The instruction manual storage location may be difficult to find. Some methods of installation (specifically, installation with a lap-only belt) are not detailed in the manual.
Securing the Child 3 stars
A head hugger or body pillow blocks the harness slots from being visible. The harness must be rethreaded to adjust height for the child's growth as well as for reassembly after cleaning. While disassembling for cleaning, mandatory pieces may become loose and could be misplaced. The harness must be reinstalled into the restraint to convert to this mode of use from booster mode; there are no illustrations on the seat to guide the user through this.
Installation Features 4 stars
The car seat is equipped with hook-style LATCH attachments which may require twisting to remove from the lower anchors in the vehicle. The storage location for the LATCH belt and/or tether strap is not obvious and may be overlooked.
Overall Ease of Use Rating 3 stars

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