Child installation seat ratings improve
Child seat installation hardware has improved in the past year, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
IIHS launched its ratings of child seat installation hardware in June 2015. Out of 102 vehicles rated then, the majority were poor or marginal. For this yearês study, 170 current models were evaluated, and most are good or acceptable. Three models the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius earn the top rating of good+, which no vehicle received last year.
A properly installed, age-appropriate child restraint can protect a child much better in a crash than a safety belt alone. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is intended to make it easier for caregivers to install child restraints properly. Those installed with LATCH are more likely to be put in correctly than restraints installed using the vehicle safety belt.
Even with LATCH, installation errors are common. The Instituteês rankings are based on several ease-of-use criteria that have been shown to minimize mistakes.
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