Last November, NHTSA released a comprehensive study on this problem. We believe this new rating system will serve as a strong incentive for child seat manufacturers to make proper installation of car seats easier for parents.Īnother area of concern that NHTSA is active in addressing is backover crashes. Installing a child safety seat should not be a daunting task for parents, and NHTSA is committed to making LATCH better known and easier to use.\Īdditionally, NHTSA is currently working to revise its ease-of-use ratings for child seats. The survey also found that many parents are unaware of either the existence or the importance of the LATCH system.Īs a result of this meeting, NHTSA is working with vehicle and car seat manufacturers, child seat installation instructors, and consumer advocates to develop a national education campaign to better inform parents on proper child seat installation. This meeting came about as a result of a new survey conducted by NHTSA which found that 40 percent of parents with LATCH-equipped vehicles still rely on seat belts to secure their child seat.
LATCH is a system of anchorages built into newer vehicles that is specifically designed to make it easier to properly install child seats. Earlier this month, Administrator Nason hosted a public meeting with industry leaders and consumer advocates to discuss ways to increase the use of Lower Anchorages and Tethers for Children, or the LATCH system. While every highway-related death is a tragedy, the loss of a child is particularly devastating.Īdministrator Nason, the mother of two young daughters herself, has made protecting children one of her top priorities. Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the age group of 4 to 34. In 2005, the last year for which complete data are available, there were 43,443 highway-related fatalities and 2.7 million injuries. The mission of NHTSA is to reduce fatalities and injuries on our Nation’s roads. Nason could not appear before you because of a prior commitment to testify at a House subcommittee hearing. I regret that NHTSA Administrator Nicole R. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this subcommittee to discuss the important issue of improving vehicle safety for children. Chairman, my name is Ron Medford, and I am the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Insurance and Automotive SafetyĬommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety