Description:
LATCH. It's one of the keywords found in many descriptions of new cars. With new federal regulations that went into effect on September 1, 2002, Latch becomes even more important. Standing for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, Latch helps ensure child safety when it comes to riding in car seats.
As of Sept.1, all child safety seats, except boosters, carbeds, vests, and the infant carriers with detachable bases, must be manufactured with the Latch system, which is supposed to simplify and standardize the installation of child safety seats without using the vehicle's seat belts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Latch system is comprised of two sets of anchors - upper and lower - that are built into cars, to which a safety seat is then attached. The upper anchor is mounted on the rear window ledge, floor, under the seat, or in the roof, depending on the model, where a tether strap on the safety seat attaches. The lower mounts are positioned between the rear seat and seat back in at least two positions. Stephanie Tombrello, L.C.S.W., executive director of the national nonprofit organization SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., said that the Latch system leaves less chance for error than using the traditional method of attaching the safety seat with the safety belts.
"The idea is that you don't have to cope with all the belts in different systems," Tombrello said. "There is one spot and that spot is designated for car seats only."
In addition, "with having the Latch anchors, you don't have to deal with safety belts that are not specifically built for car seats," she said.
When purchasing a children's car seat, there are two options when it comes to the lower attachments, either a rigid anchor or a flexible anchor. The rigid anchor allows the user to simply line up the attachments and push them on, Tombrello explained. The flexible anchor, on the other hand, needs to be adjusted by putting the installer's full weight on seat and tightening the flexible anchor straps or connectors.
"The downside is that if you just hook the flexible ones in, and you don't do anything, you can have a problem," she said. "The goal is that you don't want any safety seat to move more than an inch to the sides or front of the vehicle."
There are two primary types of seats when it comes to infant safety seats. The first is the infant carrier, which is designed to face the rear of the vehicle only. Most are designed to be used by children under 22 lbs. Many convertible safety seats are designed to be used rear facing up to 30-35 lbs. and forward facing to 40 lbs. for children who at least a year old.
The Latch system is only used on rear-facing and forward-facing car seats that harness the children in separately from the shoulder-lap belt. Booster seats for older children are not Latch-equipped. The regulations that require all new safety seats be manufactured with the Latch system, do not apply to an older safety seat or an older-model car. Their owners are not required to purchase new equipment. Latch seats also can be attached with safety belts rather than the Latch attachments.
Right now, SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is working on compiling a list of Latch-equipped safety seats. In addition to that organization, there are other sites on the Web such as SeatCheck that lists safety seat checkup opportunities. In order to check for a recall on a specific seat, owners must retain certain information about the seat: the manufacturer, and its "birth date," which, by federal regulation, must be on the safety seat. The model name of the safety seat is usually listed on the instruction booklet and is another essential clue to recall information, Tombrello said. In addition, purchasers must make sure they register the seat with the manufacturer in order to be informed of any possible recalls directly.
"We don't only cover the recalls on our list," Tombrello said, "but also the replacement parts, which have been pretty darn-gone serious."
While the regulation just took effect, cars manufactured within the past few years may already be Latch-equipped. The 2000 BMW used for the photos in the story had both the upper and lower anchor points. Not sure? Check out the car. They may be so well camouflaged, they were never noticed before. On the other hand, not many car seat manufacturers began using the Latch design until recently.
Tombrello said that while it was cost-effective for car manufacturers to start designing with the Latch system in mind, car seat manufacturers came up against other difficulties. One issue dealt with supply and demand, and another focused on the increased cost. Latch car seats cost on average $10 or more than those without.
"For the car companies, it was much easier to phase in the Latch changes. For the car seats, it was much harder because they were competing against themselves," Tombrello said. "This is a huge revolution as far as the safety seats, but it's more of an evolution as far as the cars."
Once a safety seat is chosen, it needs to be properly installed in the vehicle, and the infant and/or child needs to be fitted into the seat. There are numerous locations where parents can get their car seats checked in order to make sure that it is installed correctly. For more information on child safety, parents can call the Safe Ride Helpline (800/745-SAFE or 800/747-SANO).
Information on the Web
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.
SeatCheck |
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