Oops! Infant Car Seats Are Safe

After creating a nationwide panic among concerned parents, Consumer Reports has withdrawn its recent report regarding the safety of infant car seats. Parents all over the country were fearful of using their existing car seats upon hearing that Consumer Reports tests showed all but two car seat models failed their tests by separating from their bases during the crash tests.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the following statement in response to the retraction:

“Consumer Reports was right to withdraw its infant car seat test report and I appreciate that they have taken this corrective action," said NHTSA's Nicole Nason. "We are always eager to work with Consumer Reports and other organizations to improve child safety and ensure that consumers continue to have access to accurate and credible data. I was troubled by the report because it frightened parents and could have discouraged them from using car seats. It is absolutely essential for every parent to understand that the safest place in an automobile for an infant is in a car seat. Simply put, car seats are the best defense for a child in a crash.

“Our initial review of the Consumer Reports testing procedures showed a significant error in the manner in which it conducted and reported on its side-impact tests. The organization’s data show its side-impact tests were actually conducted under conditions that would represent being struck in excess of 70 mph, twice as fast as the group claimed. When NHTSA tested the same child seats in conditions representing the 38.5 mph conditions claimed by Consumer Reports, the seats stayed in their bases as they should, instead of failing dramatically.”

To read the complete Consumer Reports withdrawal of their car seat report visit the following link:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cu-press-room/pressroom