The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed upgrades to the safety standards governing child restraint systems. The proposal includes a first-ever side impact test for child car seats sold in the United States.<\/p>\n
The proposed test simulates a \u201cT-bone\u201d crash, in which a small passenger vehicle traveling at 15 mph is impacted from the side by a vehicle traveling at 30 mph. Car seats would have to prove effective in preventing contact between an intruding vehicle door and a child’s head, as well as in reducing the impact forces transmitted to a child’s chest and head.<\/p>\n
The NHTSA estimated that the proposal, if adopted, would save five children’s lives and prevent 64 injuries each year.<\/p>\n
The test would use a newly-developed crash test dummy representing a three-year-old child in addition to the existing 12-month-old dummy. <\/p>\n
The agency proposed a deadline of three years for car seat manufacturers to make any changes necessary (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently proposed upgrades to the safety standards governing child restraint systems. The proposal includes a first-ever side impact test for child car seats sold in the United States. The proposed test simulates a…<\/span><\/p>\n