New Child Safety Seat Restraint System Mandatory
A new survey finds most parents are unfamiliar with a new child safety system that could prevent up to 3,000 injuries per year. The new system, LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren), is mandatory for nearly all passenger vehicles and child safety seats** manufactured.
LATCH is designed to make car seat installation easier. It eliminates the need to use the vehicle's seat belt system, which is a common source of misuse. It uses anchors found between the vehicle's back seat cushions and buckles or hooks on child safety seats. The two parts snap together to secure the child safety seat to the vehicle seat. In addition, all new vehicles have top anchor points that connect to a child safety seat's top tether strap. Together, these components are intended to make safety seat installation easier for parents.
"Chrysler Group has worked with child seat manufacturers on making LATCH systems easy to use," said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, President and CEO, Chrysler Group. "However, parents must understand that LATCH does not solve all child safety seat installation mistakes.
To best protect their kids, parents should have their child safety seats inspected by a certified technician."
According to the survey, commissioned by Chrysler Group, two-thirds of parents would like to know more about LATCH. Chrysler Group is launching a public awareness campaign on LATCH that emphasizes the continued need for parents to get child safety seats inspected.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator, Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge added, "LATCH is an important innovation in child restraint and vehicle design. Used properly, the system is expected to save up to 50 lives a year and prevent close to 3,000 injuries in a crash. This new technology will help us move forward in our quest to further reduce death and injury among our youngest passengers."
According to NHTSA, at least 80 percent of child safety seats are incorrectly installed. LATCH resolves two of the most common safety seat misuses: the safety seat is not tightly fitted into the vehicle seat and the seat belt is not properly locked in place. NHTSA sites the following as some other common mistakes that can cause serious injury or death in the event of a crash:
The campaign to address both LATCH and the need for seat inspections is part of SeatCheck , a safety program launched by Chrysler Group and supporting partners NHTSA, the National Safety Council (NSC), Graco Children's Products Inc., LamazeTM International and new partners Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. The program urges parents to get their child safety seats inspected and directs parents to seat inspection locations nationwide through a toll-free hotline (1-866- Seat-Check or 1-866-732-8243 ) and a Web site (www.seatcheck.org).
The new public awareness campaign highlights LATCH information in all SeatCheck materials distributed. These materials include: print advertisements in national parenting publications this fall; radio public service announcements; a poster distribution to pediatrician offices and day care centers; a LATCH brochure and a grassroots campaign to the safety, health and child care community.
SeatCheck partners play an important role in the outreach efforts.
It is important to note that child safety seats without LATCH continue to offer children excellent protection provided that they are properly used and installed. These child safety seats can continue to be installed using the vehicle's seat belt system, even in LATCH-equipped vehicles. Child safety seats that have been involved in a crash should be destroyed.
SEATCHECK National Child Passenger Safety Seat Inspection Locator Service Fact Sheet
History
In early 1999, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was working hard to expand child safety seat training and encourage more people to become certified child safety seat technicians. That same year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a recommendation to create a national system of permanent child safety seat fitting stations. DaimlerChrysler, with the National Safety Council (NSC), met these challenges by establishing Fit for a Kid® .Through a network of participating Five Star Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge dealers nationwide, trained and certified technicians conduct child safety seat inspections free, by appointment, for anyone regardless of the make or model vehicle they drive.
In 2000, NHTSA created an inspection locator as part of its Web site to help parents find safety seat inspection locations. The locator includes a list of organizations and other entities that offer seat inspections. It is the most comprehensive list of inspection resources throughout the country.
DaimlerChrysler Joins with NHTSA and Other Partners
Working together, DaimlerChrysl er, NHTSA, the NTSB, the National Safety Council, Graco Children's Products Inc., and LamazeTM International joined forces to expand access to the locator and to promote the service to parents.
DaimlerChrysler is sponsoring a toll-free telephone hotline (1-866- Seat-Check ) that taps into NHTSA's online service. A recent survey of parents of young children found that use of a toll-free number is a parent's first choice method to find child passenger safety information. With telephone access available in 94 percent of households, the hotline will give nearly every family access to this lifesaving resource
In addition to adding a toll-free access line, DaimlerChrysler is sponsoring a Web site, www.seatcheck.org. This Web site will link parents directly to the NHTSA locator and will offer parents useful information on keeping kids safe in motor vehicles. In addition, downloadable child passenger safety educational materials will be available on the Web site. Both the telephone hotline and Web site are bundled under one easy-to-remember name ? SeatCheck .
Click here to see a diagram on how to properly install your child seat using the LATCH system.