NHTSA Actions to Enhance LATCH

Lifesavers 2007
March 25, 2007
NHTSA’s Study of LATCH Use and
Misuse
 Report released December 2006
 Main Findings:
– LATCH has substantially increased the secure installation
of child seats
– There are still ways in which LATCH (both the mechanisms
on the vehicle and child seats and public education) could
be enhanced to be even more effective
– Need to convene stakeholder meeting to discuss how to
effectively enhance the mechanisms and public education
for LATCH
February 8, 2007 Public Meeting

 About 140 people attended the February 8

meeting chaired by NHTSA Administrator
Nason
 Presenters were grouped into 4 panels
– Vehicle and Child Seat Design
– Ease of Use
– Side Impact Protection
– Education
Vehicle and Child Seat Design

 Panel had representatives of General

Motors, Toyota, Dorel, and the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety
 A number of ideas, including:
– Voluntarily label top tether anchorage locations in
vehicles, perhaps restrict zone location so it
cannot be underneath a seat or under carpet
– Label lower anchorage attachment points
Vehicle and Child Seat Design (Cont’d)

 Ideas (Cont’d):
– Some vehicle manufacturers hear few consumer complaints
about LATCH, most complaints are from technicians about
no LATCH in rear center
 Have a LATCH system in rear center
– Vehicle manufacturers have different recommendations
about putting CRS in rear center and using inboard
anchorages of the two outboard LATCH positions
 Joint CRS and vehicle manufacturer research on using
inboard anchorages
Vehicle and Child Seat Design
(Cont’d)
 Child seats have different LATCH lower
attachments (flex clips, tilt adjusters, push
button flex and rigid)
– Is it worthwhile to go to one style, and how much
would that cost?
 Educationis key to improving correct use
 NEXT STEPS: A group of vehicle and child
seat manufacturers will offer specific ideas
this summer
Ease of Use

 Panel had representatives of Honda, Ford,

Britax, Evenflo, American Academy of
Pediatrics, and Consumers Union. Also had
a presentation by Transport Canada.
 A number of ideas, including:
– NHTSA should consolidate and share existing
resources (information from vehicle makers, car
seat makers, and advocacy groups)
Ease of Use (Cont’d)
 NHTSA should improve the information in the Ease
of Use ratings for child seats
– Perhaps also rate vehicles for ease of use?
 NHTSA’s Buying a Safer Car for Children should
include # of LATCH anchors, # of rear seating
positions, # of tether anchors, etc.
 LATCH is harder to release than to install
– Should ease of use rating in NCAP include release effort
criteria?
 Should improve anchorage access and visibility and
address head restraint issues
Ease of Use (Cont’d)
 Choice in installation hardware may be good
early on, to see which work best, but at some
point it is reasonable to mandate what works
best
 NEXT STEPS: A group of vehicle and child
seat manufacturers will offer specific ideas
this summer
 NEXT STEPS: NHTSA will propose changes
to its Ease of Use ratings and publications
this year.
Side Impact

 Panel had representatives of Children’s

Hospital of Philadelphia and Takata.
 Children’s Hospital has found that child
restraint systems are very effective in
reducing injuries and discussed their child
seat crash investigations
 Takata discussed the current research
initiatives on side impact protection for
children
Side Impact (Cont’d)

 Takata review of existing research initiatives

– Field data analysis
– Child dummy for side impact
– Sled and crash tests
 NEXT STEPS: NHTSA will make a decision
by the end of 2007 whether to initiate
rulemaking to enhance protection of children
in side impacts
Education
 Panel had representatives of
DaimlerChrysler, Graco, and Safe Kids
Worldwide.
 A variety of ideas including:
– Much current activity, but could be better
coordinated
– Need to “emphasize the T in LATCH” (tether use)
– Education should provide clear, consistent, and
simple information
Education (Cont’d)
 Education should:
– Reach all segments of the population
– Use as many forms of communication as
possible, with constant and consistent delivery
– Involve all interested parties
 NEXT STEPS: NHTSA will work with all
interested parties to develop common core
education messages, so that those
messages can be implemented in Fall 2007.