How To Find Car Seat Safety Ratings

Your child's car seat is one of the most important purchases you will ever make. Most states require car seats for children under the age of 4 year old-- and booster or other safety seats are often required for children up to age 8. When shopping for a car seat for your newborn or toddler, it is important that you do some research to make sure that you are getting the safest car seat product for your child.  In general, when looking for products that will help keep your child safe, it's a good idea to check out Child Safety Products: A to Z Guide; this handy guide will help you determine which products are best for your child.

When choosing a car seat for your child you'll also want to re-evaluate your choice every few years - the safest infant car seat might not work very well as a toddler car seat, for example. Here are some tips on how to find car seat safety ratings:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This website should be your first stop when researching car seat safety ratings. Why? Because NHTSA's website offers a detailed section dedicated entirely to child passenger safety. You can find the "ease of use" ratings for safety seats as well as a chart on the correct usage of safety seats. There is also a listing of child seat recalls since 1990 (great if you happen to have a second-hand seat) and a safety inspection station locator. Because one of the most common mistakes parents make with child safety seats is improper usage, the Ease of Use ratings, now in their fifth year, can help you to determine if the seat is easy to use -- definitely a key factor to consider when you're researching child safety seats. NHTSA also offers car seat safety feature comparisons. You'll want to make sure your car seat choice meets federal car seat safety guidelines, along with local car seat safety standards.
2. Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports is known for their reviews on just about every product under the sun -- from dishwashing detergent to automobiles. Their car seat safety ratings are legendary. Consumer Reports is the only organization that currently rates for crash protection. For an annual fee you can subscribe to CR online, which will enable you to have access to their most recent car seat safety ratings (as well as to all of their other product ratings). Consumer Reports is famous for thorough investigations and their car seat safety ratings will not disappoint you -- seats are rated in order of their safety features and then broken down by price.
3. Consumer Search. Because some of the best safety advice can come from other parents, this site offers reviews of the top-rated car seats. Not simply endorsed by parents, most of these seats are recommended by safety experts as well.This is a great resource if you want to compare car seat reviews.
4. Car Safety.org. This is a wonderful site that covers all aspects of car seat safety. It includes a buying guide feature as well as links to dozens of child passenger safety websites. If you're looking for access to safety ratings as well as other car seat safety information, this is a great place to look.
5. Other things to keep in mind. When shopping for a car seat, take into account the type of vehicle you own; not all car seats fit properly into all types of cars. If you drive a pick-up, you may need a specialized truck car seat. Remember that the most expensive car seat is not necessarily the best seat for your child (do your research!). Finally, even the best car seat in the world will not protect your child if it is installed incorrectly. Learn how to install the car seat properly and take it to a safety inspection location to have it checked out.
6. Factors to look for in a car seat. A good carseat:
   • has a five-point harness
   • uses twist-free straps
   • includes head impact protection

Please remember: it doesn't matter how good your child's car seat is if you don't use it. Always make sure you put your infant or child in the car seat before you take off - it could save your baby's life.