Consumer Reports Tests Car Seats For Kids
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The latest research shows kids are safest if kept in a rear-facing car seat until the age of two.
However, most kids will outgrow their infant seats much earlier.
For newborns, infant car seats are the best option.
They provide the best fit, are convenient, and they face backwards, which is the safest option for babies up to 2-years-old.
Infant seats display both the weight and height limits.
Consumer Reports recommends paying particular attention to the height limit because children are likely to grow too tall for the seat before they reach the weight limit.
Consumer Reports' new simulated 35 mph crash tests on infant seats showed how jarring a collision can be even for seats that do well.
"When children are injured in motor vehicle crashes, it most often is an injury to their head. And that happens when they contact something usually in the vehicle interior, like the front seatback. You can imagine as they get taller and are closer to the edge of the shell of the seat, that it becomes more of a risk," Consumer Reports' Jennifer Stockburger said.
Consumer Reports tested 33 convertible seats, which are ideal once your child outgrows an infant seat.
The shells are longer and they can be positioned rear-facing until the recommended age of two.
They all passed a simulated 30 mph crash test and were also assessed for how well they fit in vehicles and how easy they are to use.
Top ratings went to the Chicco NextFit for $280.
Consumer Reports also recommends all of the Britax convertible seats it tested.
They range in price from $145 for the Britax Roundabout to about $300 for the Britax Advocate.
Another great choice is the Evenflo SureRide for $100.
Consumer Reports says children should remain in a car seat or booster seat until a safety belt fits properly.
That won't happen until they reach a height of 4-feet-9-inches.
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