New Ratings for Child Safety Seats in Philadelphia: What you Need to Know

The car can be a dangerous place for your child, and many unsuspecting parents have improperly secured their children in their vehicles through no fault of their own. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, many cars feature LATCH car seat installation systems that are too hard for people to use properly. To help combat this problem, the IIHS has implemented a new rating system for LATCH systems.

The LATCH Safety System

LATCH, or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, is a system of tethers built into cars to make installation of child safety seats easier, without relying on seat belts. However, while these systems are supposed to be easy to use, the IIHS found this not to be the case. Too many parents were struggling to find the LATCH hooks or failing to secure the seats tightly enough for a child to be safe. The new rating system takes a closer look at these vehicles to determine which ones are easiest for parents to use.

Understanding the New Rating System

The LATCH rating system is directly connected to the safety of child safety seats. The IIHS outlined five criteria to use to determine the adequacy of a car’s LATCH system, including ease of finding and accessing the lower anchors and the safety of the tethers located on a vehicle’s rear deck or seatback. A “Good” rating means the LATCH positioning met all five criteria. Vehicles could also receive “Acceptable,” “Marginal,” and “Poor” ratings. Unfortunately, only three vehicles were rated as “Good.”

Parents who have a car that received a “Poor” rating may fear that their child is unsafe. This is not necessarily the case. As long as the car seat is highly rated, the child can still be restrained safely in a car with a “Poor” rating. However, “Poor” vehicles have LATCH systems that are difficult to use, so parents who pay close attention to installation can still keep their children safe.

For those who are in the market for a new car, this new child safety seat and LATCH rating system can help with the buying decision.

At Lipschutz & Friedman, we believe that the best way to care for your children is to keep them as safe as possible. By understanding the new ratings for LATCH safety systems, you can ensure that the car is a safe place for your child to be.