If you think you have finally perfected the art of installing a car seat, think again.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revised it's regulations on how to use the latch system, and these new revisions are something every parent needs to be aware of to keep their child safe.
The LATCH system has been in effect since 2002 and is used to ease the installation process of a car seat. Rather than using safety-belts to secure the seat, LATCH uses lower anchors and tethers that are found on the seats and the vehicle.
As of February 2014, parents who use the LATCH system will be able to continue doing so only if the combined weight of their child and it's car seat is under 65 pounds. Once the combined weight exceeds this limit, the car seat will have to be attached using the safety-belt system. This switch away from using the lower anchors at the combined 65-pound weight limit is a safety precaution, according to the NHTSA.
According to a survey done by Safe Ride, the average car seat weighs 25 pounds. Some weigh less and others weigh as much as 33 pounds. So, by the time children are at 32 pounds parents will have to make the switch from the simple LATCH system to the standard safety-belt system.
As of February 2014, parents who use the LATCH system will be able to continue doing so only if the combined weight of their child and it's car seat is under 65 pounds. Once the combined weight exceeds this limit, the car seat will have to be attached using the safety-belt system. This switch away from using the lower anchors at the combined 65-pound weight limit is a safety precaution, according to the NHTSA.
According to a survey done by Safe Ride, the average car seat weighs 25 pounds. Some weigh less and others weigh as much as 33 pounds. So, by the time children are at 32 pounds parents will have to make the switch from the simple LATCH system to the standard safety-belt system.
2014 car seat LATCH revisions
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