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IIHS Says Booster Seat Safety Improving

Booster seat safety is finally improving. For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recommendation list for booster seats has more seats being recommended than not.  The Insurance Institute is saying that booster seats on the whole, are getting much safer.  The agency made the recommendations after testing 72 safety seats, and out of these, 21 were given the “best bet” rating.  Seven seats received a “good bet rating,” while only 8 seats were placed in the “not recommended” list.

That’s a stark contrast to last year when only nine safety seats received the “best bet” rating.  This indicates that companies are making these seats with a lot more focus on safety.  This increased focus on safety is bound to benefit California’s parents and caregivers.  It means that parents will now be able to find it much easier to purchase a safe booster seat, because so many of these now meet booster seat safety standards.  This also marks the first time that there have been more seats that have been recommended by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, than rejected.  That means a lot more choice for parents to choose from, and an easier decision to make.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety only tested booster seats, which are used typically for a child between the age of four and eight.  The Insurance Institute ratings are the result of tests that the agency performs, although these are not as strenuous as crash tests.  According to the Insurance Institute, a good booster seat places the lap belt across the upper thighs and positions shoulder belts properly.  A poorly ranked booster seat simply did a bad job of fitting the belts.

36 booster seats were placed in the middle, because they didn’t always fit well on most kids in most cars.  In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety advises that parents test a number of booster seats to find one that fits their car and child the best.  Just because a booster seat has made to the Insurance Institute list, doesn’t mean that it is the right booster for you.  It does mean that the booster seat has been found reliable, but ultimately, if it is the fit of the belt that will restrain your child in the event of a collision.  It’s important that parents take the time to test out each booster seat before they make a decision.  There are no federal standards in place to guide how booster should position the belt.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration only ranks boosters by how comfortable they are.  Manufacturers of booster seats test boosters in a crash test scenario, but these tests give no indication of how the booster will fit a child.  In the absence of any tough federal standards, California injury lawyers believe it’s very important that parents test a number of booster seats before they choose one that fits their child right.  Children who are restrained in booster seats have a lower likelihood of sustaining injuries in accidents, compared to those who are not restrained in booster seats.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of auto accidents. Please visit our website at http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us at contact@robertreeveslaw.com.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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