Consumer Reports withdraws report on infant seats!

[scatterbunny]

I think this was already posted as an add-on to the huge CR thread that's pinned at the top of this forum, but just in case some might miss that (thinking it's just more of the "same old thing"), here's the article.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer Reports, the consumer product testing magazine, announced Thursday that is withdrawing a recent report on rear-facing infant car-seats.

That report alleged that several infant car seats failed crash tests performed using tougher standards than tests used by the federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The initial report was released in January 5 and was reported on CNNMoney that day. (Read the original story.)

Consumer Reports made the announcement after receiving information Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from NHTSA that raised questions about whether tests conducted by the non-profit group accurately simulated the conditions they were supposed to.

"Our initial review of the Consumer Reports testing procedures showed a significant error in the manner in which it conducted and reported on its side-impact tests," said NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason in a statement posted on the agency's Website.

"The organization's data show its side-impact tests were actually conducted under conditions that would represent being struck in excess of 70 mph, twice as fast as the group claimed," said Nason.

"When NHTSA tested the same child seats in conditions representing the 38.5 mph conditions claimed by Consumer Reports, the seats stayed in their bases as they should, instead of failing dramatically," she said.

Consumer Reports crash-tested 12 infant-seat brands, including models made by Evenflo, Graco and Baby Trend, and found that 10 didn't provide adequate protection.

The car seats have already passed federal government crash tests, which are conducted from the front at 30 miles per hour.

Consumer Reports said it will publish a new report with "any necessary revisions" as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Consumer Reports urges motorists to remember any child seat is better than no child seat and to suspend judgment on the merits of individual brands until the new report is released.

[smithmom]

You beat me to it, i was just coming here to post it!!!!

[BrookeSLP]

I just read this as well. It will be interesting to see if they really do re-test.

[scatterbunny]

And now I see someone else has a 20-something-replies thread going on the same topic in the carseat forum.

[southpawboston]

Originally Posted by scatterbunny

And now I see someone else has a 20-something-replies thread going on the same topic in the carseat forum.

but according to the time stamps, that thread was started three hours before this one.

[scatterbunny]

Originally Posted by southpawboston

but according to the time stamps, that thread was started three hours before this one.

Yes...I realize that. I was late to the game, volunteering at dd's school today.