What is the best car seat?dot.nebraska.gov/media/7969/2017-helping-caregivers-figure-it-out-handout.pdfA BOOSTER SEAT positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger

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Helping Caregivers Figure It Out:Guide Them Through Their Decisions

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What is the best car seat?

Fits the childFits in the vehicleFits in the budgetCaregiver can use correctly each and every

time!

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What agencies do caregivers get their information from?

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration– www.nhtsa.gov, www.safercar.gov

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety– www.iihs.org

• Consumer Reports– www.consumerreports.org

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Fits the child

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Fits in the vehicle©

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Fits in the vehicle

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SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.http://www.carseat.org/

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Installation

• Lower Anchors• LATCH• Seat Belt• Seat Belt & Tether

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Vehicle & CRS LATCH Implementation

9

FMVSS 213 FMVSS 225

Sept 1, 1999

•Tether straps on all forward-facing child restraints

Sept. 1, 2000

Sept. 1, 2001

Sept. 1, 2002

•Lower anchors 100% CRS

Feb. 27, 2014

•Statement on WARNING label OR pictogram w/ statement

Feb. 27, 2015

•Pictogram w/ statement

Sept. 1, 1999

•Tether anchorages in 80% vehicles.

Sept. 1, 2000

•Tether anchorages 100% cars, trucks, vans & SUVs

•Lower Anchorages 20% passenger vehicles

Sept. 1, 2001

•Lower Anchorages 50% of passenger vehicles

Sept. 1, 2002

•Lower anchorages 100% of passenger vehicles

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Docket No. NHTSA–2014–0026

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13Source: http://cpsboard.org/curriculum-resources/http://cpsboard.org/curriculum-resources/

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Hands-On Exercise – Scenario #3

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Fits the child

• HealthyChildren.org• Ultimate Car Seat Guide

• https://www.safekids.org/ultimate‐car‐seat‐guide/

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NHTSA Ease-of-Use 5-Star Ratings

http://www.safercar.gov/parents/CarSeats/Car‐Seat‐Ratings‐Ease‐Of‐Use.htm

Evaluation of Instructions: Examines the content and clarity of the instruction manual for the restraint.

Vehicle Installation Features: Examines the ease of using features that pertain to installing the child restraint in a vehicle.

Evaluation of Labels: Examines the content and clarity of the labeling attached to the child restraint.

Securing the Child: Examines the ease of using features that pertain to securing a child correctly in the restraint.

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:

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rved A ("good" = 3 points) B ("acceptable" = 2 points) C ("poor" = 1 point)

Ease of routing vehicle belt or LATCH lower attachment straps (if flexible) for installation in this mode.

A 95th percentile male hand can route the seatbelt easily and comfortably. The padding does not need to be moved in order to route the belt.

The belt path does not accommodate a 95th percentile male hand, or has to be routed under (NOT PAST, WHICH IS ok)the CRS padding for FF installation.

Can vehicle belt or lower LATCH straps (if flexible) interfere with harness (including crotch strap) IF routed correctly?

No contact or interference possible. Possible contact or misrouting. Please describe this potential under notes.

Ease of use of any FF belt position feature on CRS such as a lock-off.

Simple to use with instructions on CRS.

Simple to use but must refer to manual.

Multiple steps, confusing to use even with manual.

Evaluate the tether on this CRS. Only one hand required to tighten and release the tether.

Indication on a lable or text in the same color as the CRS shell used as the recline feedback device. Adjustable to at least three levels of recline for this mode.

Does not meet "A" criteria.

Do the lower anchors require twisting to remove from the vehicle?

No, system fully retracts from the vehicle anchors with release mechanism.

No twisting required but secondary action required to remove lower attachments from seat bight.

Yes, user must twist lower anchors to remove from vehicle.

Evaluate the storage system for the lower anchors & tether when not in use.

Simple, obvious, dedicated, labeled storage system. Or, lower anchors and tether completely retracts when not in use.

Storage system exists but may be easily overlooked.

No separate storage mentioned or user is directed to hook lower anchors together or with tether when not in use.

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Easy for Caregiver to Use

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Easy for Caregiver to Use©

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Easy for Caregiver to Use©

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Types of Car Safety Seats

•Rear-Facing Only Seats•Convertible Seats•3-in-1 seats

R e a r - F a c i n g

•Convertible seats•Combination seat with harness•3-in-1 seats•Built-in seats•Travel vests

F o r w a r d - F a c i n g

•Backless•Highback•Combination•3-in-1 seats•Integrated

B e l t - p o s i t i o n i n g b o o s t e r s e a t s

Tr a v e l V e s t s

B u i l t - i n ( i n t e g r a t e d ) s e a t s

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BEST PRACTICE(RECOMMENDATIONS)

FAMILY NEEDS

LAW

• Best practice provides optimal protection.

•Child’s Age, height, weight, vehicle, budget

• The Law is the legal minimumrequirement.

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When is it appropriate for a child to

move to the next stage of car seat

safety?

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Description of Restraint Types

A SEAT BELT should lie across the upper thighs and be snug across the shoulder and chest to restrain the child safely in a crash. It should not rest on the stomach area or across the neck.

A BOOSTER SEAT positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger parts of your child’s body.

A FORWARD-FACING CAR SEAT has a harness and tether that limits your child’s forward movement during a crash.

A REAR-FACING CAR SEAT is the best seat for your young child to use. It has a harness and in a crash, cradles and moves with your child to reduce the stress to the child’s fragile neck and

spinal cord.

http://www.safercar.gov/parents/RightSeat.htm

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A REAR-FACING CAR SEAT is the best seat for your young child to use. It has a harness and in a crash, cradles and moves with your child to reduce the stress to the child’s fragile neck and

spinal cord.

American Academy of Pediatricswww.healthychildren.org

• All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat's manufacturer.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.safercar.gov

• From birth to one year, then as long as possible given maximum RF height or weight limit of the CR.

• Age range: birth to 3 years

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A caregiver asks you……

I heard there was a new law/regulation that I have to move

my children from a rear-facing only seat to a convertible when

they are 1 year old.Is this true?

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How should you respond?

• Follow instructions for each rear-facing only car seat

• Contact specific CRS manufacturer with concerns

http://www.consumerreports.org/convertible-car-seats/why-you-should-buy-a-convertible-car-seat-sooner-rather-than-later

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Rear-Facing Only

Minimum Weight Maximum Weight

30 lbs. or more – represents 75th percentile at 24 months of age | 35 lbs. or more – exceeds 95th percentile at 24 months of ageAAP Technical Report Published March 21, 2011

2012: 32 CRS | 2013: 34 CRS | 2014: 40 CRS | 2015: 49 CRS | 2017: 67 CRS | $40 - $499.99

Birth, 1, 1%

4 lbs, 58, 87%

5 lbs, 8, 12% 22 lbs, 10,

15%

30 lbs, 10, 15%

32 lbs, 7, 10%

35 lbs, 38, 57%

40 lbs, 2, 3%

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Convertibles

Minimum Rear-Facing Weight Maximum Rear-Facing Weight


2012: 36 CRS | 2013: 52 CRS | 2014: 60 CRS | 2015: 62 CRS | 2017: 77 CRS | $445- $469.99

3 lbs, 1, 1%

4 lbs, 8, 10%

5 lbs, 62, 81%

9 lbs, 2, 3%14 lbs, 3, 4% 15 lbs, 1, 1%

30 lbs, 2, 3% 33 lbs, 1, 1%

35 lbs, 1, 1%

40 lbs, 67, 87%

45 lbs, 1, 1%

50 lbs, 5, 7%

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3-in-1



2017: 77 CRS | $99 - $379

4 lbs, 6, 20%

5 lbs, 24, 80%

35 lbs, 4, 13%

40 lbs, 20, 67%

45 lbs, 2,

7%

50 lbs, 4, 13%

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Rear-Facing Only, Convertibles & 3-in-1


22 lbs, 10, 6%

30 lbs, 12, 7%

32 lbs, 7, 4%

33 lbs, 1, 0%

35 lbs, 43, 25%40 lbs, 89,

51%

45 lbs, 3, 2%

50 lbs,

9, 5%

Birth, 1, 0% 3 lbs, 1, 1%

4 lbs, 72, 41%

5 lbs, 94, 54%

9 lbs, 2, 1%14 lbs, 3, 2% 15 lbs, 1, 1%


2017: 174 CRS

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• Any child 2 years or older who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car seat, should use a Forward-Facing Car Seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed their car seat’s manufacturer. This also applies to any child younger than 2 years who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seat.


• From the time the child outgrows the rear-facing CR until the maximum height or weight limit of the forward-facing CR is reached.

• Age range: 4 to 7 years

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Challenges with Best PracticeBest Practice vs. CRS in market

CRS minimum weight forward-facing (77 Convertibles | (30) 3-in1 | (33) Combinations = (144) CRS April 2017(62 Convertibles | (17) 3-in1 | (20) Combinations = (99) CRS August 2015

(60) Convertibles | (13) 3-in-1 | (23) Combinations = (96) CRS (March 2014)(52) Convertibles | (9) 3-in-1 | (21) Combination = (82) CRS (2013)

20 lbs, 42, 30%

22 lbs, 86, 62%

23 lbs, 2, 1%25 lbs, 10, 7%

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Challenges with Best Practice

• Federal Motor Vehicle Standard (FMVSS) 213• Use only in a rear-facing position when using it

with an infant weighing less than __ (insert a recommended weight that is not less than 20 pounds). S5.5.2(k)(2)

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• All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car seat should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are between 8 and 12 years of age.


• From the time the child outgrows the forward-facing CR until he or she fits properly in the vehicle lap-shoulder belt.

• Age range: 8 to 12 years

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• When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use Lap and Shoulder Seat Belts for optimal protection.


• When the child fits properly in the vehicle lap-shoulder belt, based on the fit of the lap and shoulder belts.

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Best Practice…….




BACK SEAT


All children younger than 13 years should be

restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for

optimal protection.


Until at least 13 years old.

(26% less likely to be fatally injured)

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Parents Turning Car Seats to Face Forward Too Early

•13% of children turned forward-facing after age 2

•72% of parents get information from packaging when to turn child forward-facing

•68% of parents get information from nurses or doctors when to turn child forward-facing

C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, September 19, 2011

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Car Seat Laws by State©

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Challenges with Best PracticeBest Practice vs. Law

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/safetybeltuse

12Nebraska's law is secondary for those children who may be in safety belts and standard for those who must be in a child restraint device.

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Must be in a child safety seat Adult belt permissible Fine Preference fo rear seatCA younger than 2 years and less than 40 pounds and

less than 40 inches in a rear‐facing infant seat (effective 01/01/2017); 7 years and younger who are less than 57 inches must be in an appropriate child passenger restraint system2

8 through 15 years or at least 57 inches

$100 children 7 years and younger who are less than 57 inches must be in the rear seat2

NJ younger than 2 years and less than 30 pounds in a rear‐facing infant seat; younger than 4 years and less than 40 pounds in a rear‐facing child safety seat until a child outgrows the manufacturer’s top height or weight recommendations or in a forward‐facing child safety seat; younger than 8 years and less than 57 inches in a forward‐facing child safety seat until a child outgrows the manufacturer’s top height or weight recommendations or booster seat

not permissible $75 children 7 years and younger and less than 57 inches must be in the rear seat if available, no child shall be secured in a rear facing infant seat in a front seat of any motor vehicle which is equipped with a passenger‐side airbag that is not disabled

OK younger than 2 years or until a child outgrows the manufacturer's top height or weight recommendations in a rear‐facing child restraint; younger than 4 years in a child restraint; 4 through 7 years, if not taller than 4 feet 9 inches, in a child restraint or booster seat

8 years; children who are taller than 4 feet 9

inches16

$50 law states no preference for rear seat

PA younger than 2 years in a rear facing child restraint until a child outgrows the manufacturer’s top height or weight recommendations; 2 through 3 years in a forward‐facing child safety seat; 4 through 7 years in a booster seat

8 through 17 years in all seats

$75 law states no preference for rear seat

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Why car seats are important!

45http://www.wkrn.com/story/24835633/man-credits-car-seat-for-saving-2-year-old-sons-life (crash Feb 24, 2014)

Two-year-old Mason was traveling with his father around 7 p.m. ……when they were rear-ended by a pickup truck.

"Half of the car was missing, so I looked at the back seat and I couldn't find my son. He wasn't in the vehicle. He was still in his car seat strapped in just like I left him. I could not believe it." he recalled. "We're blessed that we were responsible enough to tighten those restraining belts."

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Sarah TiltonDirector, Consumer Advocacy| Britax Child Safety, Inc.

Direct Line (704) 409-1695 | Email: [email protected]

Thank you!

Documents

What is the best car seat?dot.nebraska.gov/media/7969/2017-helping-caregivers-figure-it-out-handout.pdfA BOOSTER SEAT positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the stronger