Your Input on Protecting Children in Vehicles is Needed!

Hello,

This message was forwarded to me from an industry representative:

"A CPS meeting will be held soon between various groups to discuss future steps needed to better protect children. Can you please ask for input on what consumers feel need to be considered to improve protection for children: suggestions for improvements for vehicle manufacturers, child restraint manufacturers, retailers, NHTSA, NTSB, CDC, State DOTs, insurance companies, hospitals, and advocate groups. This is an opportunity for a direct line of communication with suggestions for improvements to these groups. The comments should be in the form of proposed solutions "I suggest that...." as opposed to "Why don't they do this?" I can promise that their constructive suggestions will be communicated to these groups."


Feel free to post suggestions you have on this thread. Simply reply and voice your concerns. You may do this as a registered user, or anonymously (you would have to log out to post anonymously if you are already registered). You will probably not receive an official response, but your input will be forwarded to this committee.

Thank you!

I suggest that the minimum requirements of 1 year and 20 lbs to turn forward facing be raised.

I suggest that more seats become available with higher harness weight limits than 40 lbs. for those of us with big kids.

I suggest that car seat manufacturers put the name of the car seat on each car seat and accompanying car seat manual.

I suggest that vehicle manufacturers label each seat belt in the vehicle with the name of the locking device used on the seat belt (i.e. switchable retractor, cinching latchplate) AND with instructions on how to lock the seat belt.

I suggest that all retailers of car seats meet with a certified child passenger safety technician who is active in the field and produce a list of requirements for each age group in car seats (i.e., infant-30 lbs.: should ride rear-facing, over 18 months and 20 lbs. should ride in a harness to 40 lbs., etc.). This list should be posted next to the car seat area in the store and should be easily read and understood by customers.

I suggest that all retailers discontinue stock of overhead shield seats and shield boosters.

The AAP has already changed their recommmendation to keep a child RF until the child reaches the weight or length limit of the convertible in RF mode. The major problem as I see it is that pediatricians are unaware of this recommendation. Pediatricians and many in the general public continue to say that is is dangerous for a child's legs to be touching the seat back. Many of us listen to our pediaticians for advice on car seats. I wouldn't ask a surgeon about a rash, and I don't talk to my pediatrician about car safety. What could be done? The AAP could publish information in its journal, or NHTSA or consumer groups could pay for adds in journals read by pediatricians and in magazines like parents and parentling to get the word out.

I would like to see all car seats have a built in locking clip. FOr those with a car made after 1996 it isn't important but many pre-1996 cars remain on the road and are used to transport children. I don't imagine it would cost too much to put the clip on the seat. I think it would be far more likely that people would use the clips correctly if it were there on the seat.

The average IQ is 100, many people don't speak English as a first language and the manuals are written at a 10th grade level. This is not acceptable. Language should be at the 4th grade level. Manuals should be required to have real photographs of people installing the seats. DIagrams can be misleading and misunderstood even by the most well intentioned people.

Detailed info should be available for parents in childbirth classes and in the discharge packet after delivery.

Straps on the harnessed seats should be made of thicker webbing to prevent twisting. THey don't have to be like on the FPSE (which are very much like the seat belts in cars)-but how about like the straps on the Britax seats or the Graco Platinum CarGo booster?

Studies should be done to determine if EPS or other energy absorbent material provides a statistically significant benefit to children in a crash, and if so it should be added to all seats.

Studies should be done to determine if RF tethers provide a statistically significant benefit to children involved in MVAs. If so they should be required on all seats.

NHTSA should add side-impact testing.

Someone should mandate that CPS information be taken down in all crashes as part of the investigation. Was child restrained? Was the seat installed correctly? Was the child injured? I am sure there are a lot of questions that could be investigated.

Vehicle manufacturers should provide a list of car seats that performed well in their cars. Perhaps offer a choice in all price ranges.

Britax should offer less expensive seats as they do in other markets around the world, rather than just their most expensive ones here. Perhaps use cheaper fabric on some models-perhaps less comfort, but still great ease of use features. Look as Cosco-they offer a no-frills $40 seat and a plush $200 seat.

Manufactures should offer convertible seats with higher height and weight limits like the Britax Marathon and/or FF harnessed seats with higher weight limits like the Husky, Airway and FP futura for those who want to keep their children in a 5 pt harness longer.

Auto insurers should be required to pay for replacement of all car seats in a vehicle involved in any accident no matter how minor.

Auto makers should continue to make improvement in safety features in vehicles. Lower anchors and tether hooks should be available in all seating positios except the driver. Air bags should have on-off switches.

Fines for unrestrained children should be highr. A $25 fine is trivial to many.

I could type a lot more-this is my hobby-but I will give others a chance

I live in Southeastern Kentucky and the enforcement of child safety seat laws is laughable. I approached a state trooper to ask what I could do to report people who had unrestrained children. He said that I would have to go to the courthouse, find out who they were by the plate number and swear out a warrant. If I could take this on it would be more than a full time job in itself. Kentucky has recently passed a primary enforcement law regarding seat belts. I believe primary enforcement for children has been in place for a while. I would like for this state, and all states, to take a more proactive stance on EDUCATING parents about the proper car seat use and also enforcing the laws that are already in effect. Laws are great but they mean nothing unless the police are enforcing the laws.

A lot of things that I had in mind have already been voiced by previous posters so I will not reiterate their words.

trishshack from BBC

Better Safety for Children in cars

I suggest that more attention be paid to preventing side-impact injuries.

I also suggest that exterior packaging on boxes clearly and simply communicate the federal recommendations for car seat use (rear-facing to this age and size, harnessed forward-facing to that age and size, booster to this point, etc.), and where this seat "fits in". I have met far too many people floundering in confusion in the car seat aisle with all the choices of front-facing, rear-facing, combo, convertible... they can't figure out what seat will actually cover the child they are buying for.

I suggest that harness slot heights top out at a higher mark, to prevent having to "graduate" tall, skinny children before they are ready for the next type of seat.

I suggest that front harness adjusters become a universal requirement, to make it easier and more likely that parents will use them properly.

I hope these are helpful!

Kathy

wow, you guys left no stone unturned!

i don't think i can add anything. my main issues are, in order of importance:

built in lockoffs. we should be able to THROW AWAY locking clips!

STRAPS THAT DON'T TWIST

higher rf weight limits and with it higher guidelines...to keep kids rf for another year at least...

taller top slots, all slots reinforced so no guesswork for parents

higher weight 5 pt harnesses

universal harness adjusters

I just saw an alarming news piece about the dangers of projectiles within the car during an accident. Vehicles with open storage space in the rear (such as SUVs, minivans, and station wagons) are at high risk if items placed in the back are not properly secured.

Don't know if there is a statistic out there, but I'm sure a majority of the folks driving around with kids are in either an SUV, minivan or stationwagon. And like us (we drive a Volvo wagon), usually travel with unsecured items in the open rear - stroller, etc.

They crash-tested a minivan with a rear facing car seat and items loaded in the storage. During the collision, the unsecured items in the rear literally lifted up over the seat and lunged forward toward the rear facing car seat.

We were shocked!!!

Forunately, we purchased a security cover for the rear storage of our wagon. Granted, the cover was probably designed to merely 'cover' the items in the rear. I still feel a little safer knowing that the items in the rear are at least covered in the case of an accident.

SUGGESTION: All car manufacturers should have MANDATORY securing devices for open rear storage vehicles. Either a security cover that you can pull over the rear or a cargo net of somesort.

In minivans, they install the TVs/VCRs behind the drivers section of the vehicle, for a forward facing passenger (child) to view, but yet we keep our children rear facing.

I suggest, having a minivan that is designed for saftey, such as having the seats and TVs facing the rear of the vehicle.

Like you have the option of removing a seat, there could be one to even turn it to face the rear.

Car manufacturers should require their dealerships to train car salesmen to make sure they at least understand what CPS features are available in the cars they sell. Too often, car salesmen aren't aware of the positions of tether and LATCH anchors.

Car manufacturers should be required to make their vehicles' LATCH anchors accessible by carseats with rigid LATCH attachments..

Car manufacturers should be required to offer LATCH anchors in the center rear position in all but the smallest vehicles; at least all midsize and larger sedans, wagons, and SUVs.


-neal

The point about unrestrained cargo is a good one. My 2004 Sienna has lots of hooks for bungy cords in the cargo area. However, there is nothing I can hook my pocketbook or diaper bag to up front. I usually bungy cord it to the passenger headrest which is fine when that seat is unoccupied, but it would be great to have some kind of hook.

We need more parent education that focuses on the recommendations and reasons behind the recommendations of the AAP and other organizations. THere is too much emphasis on what is legal. For example people often say "I turned my child FF because he was 28 lbs and the doctor said this was legal." Legality isn't the issue-safety is. If parents better understood why the recomendations were made perhaps they would keep their children RF longer or at least graduate children to boosters after they outgrow their convertible restraints. Perhaps NHTSA could mandate that the recommendations and an explaination be attached to the harnesses like the warranty card and instruction booklet.

Infant carriers should have something on the handle that warns of the risk of having the handle up when travelling (I know the Britax handle can be up, but the Graco evenflo and cosco handles should be down). Perhaps something like the airbag warnings found on RF seats.

Manufacturers should all test their seats in the same way so that misuse is minimized. For example Britax and FP have liberable RF limits with respect to the childs head in relation to the top of the shell. FP warns against using a chest clip on small infants. FP allows the harnesss to be threaded through the slot ABOVE the child's shoulders when RF (I know FP doesn't make seats anymore, but it is all I am familiar with, and I am sure there are differences between Britax, Graco, Evenflo etc.)

I mentioned in my earlier post that adds should be in parents magazines, but grandparents travel with their grandkids a lot and perhaps recommendations should be seen in magazines they are likely to see. What about a TV add similar to the don't do drug adds we see on TV all the time?

Manufactures could make cooler car seat covers like that new Freedom fabric Britax has. What about Sponge Bob, Barbie, Nascar etc.-especially on booster seats. This may aid in compliance with older children.

Education on car seats should be mandatory. Either when you leave the hospital or when you obtain or renew your licence. I purchased a used car seat manufactured in 1998 without knowing the history, didn't have the seat belt locked until I purchased a newer car and read the manual and never had the harness tight enough. I was shopping for a larger seat when I found this site. Her seat belt is locked, she is strapped in tight and waiting for a roundabout. I located a place to have it fit checked. Still have to clean the loose junk out of the back seat. Fortunately it is rare to find a parent that intentionally endangers a child, unfortunately many of us do because we don't have the right information.

Thanks for the good info

I suggest that...

...car seat manufacturers put the name of the car seat on each car seat and accompanying car seat manual. (credit: murphydog77 )

...vehicle manufacturers provide crash-tested equipment to secure potential projectiles in the backs of wagons, SUVs and minivans (gates, nets, etc)

...retailers have a stack of pamphlets available for parents as part of their car seat displays. Both the AAP and NHTSA have hand-outs that include info on how to pick an appropriate restraint for children of different sizes and ages. So many parents go into the store not even knowing what questions to ask, let alone the answers. The Wyeth (a pharmaceutical company) bought the rights to the AAP Breastfeeding Book and put their name on the cover. Perhaps an arrangement like that could be reached with child seat brochures - "Toys R Us and the American Academy of Pediatrics Present: Which Seat Is Right For You?"

...NHTSA &/or the AAP create hand-outs specifically for retailers to have as part of their car seat displays. One on selecting the correct seat and one on proper use.

...regulating agencies make it easier for specilized restraints to make it to the market (e.g., Volvo's ISOFIX seat that has a 40 lb rear facing weight limit).

...other manufacturers make available restraints that are suitable for extended rear facing.

...regulating agencies start using crash test dummies that measure more than just head excursion. I want to know if the dummy's head hits the shield of a seat with enough force to cause serious injury or death, or if the lap straps of a given 5-point seat can cause internal injuries due to being too far up on a child's stomach, for example.

...regulating agencies add ease of use criteria that include requiring that a harness can be pulled tight by the average person without undue struggling. For example, a seat must adjust with only X pounds of force on the adjuster.


I'm sure I'll think of others later.

I suggest the use of fabrics on carseats that do not become excessively hot in closed cars in warm climates. I also suggest uniform inclusion of shoulder belts in all positions in the back seat of sedans. this will especially help with keeping children in boosters longer.

Additionally, further research into alternative restraints such as built in five point harnesses for all passengers, no matter the age, should be done. It is hard as a parent to restrain your child from birth only to realize that as soon as your child surpasses 40 lbs with most seats and 65 or 80 with Britax's specialty seats, he/she will no longer be nearly as well protected in a crash.


Sara Pearson, mom of a 3 1/2 yr old
Boynton Beach, Florida

I suggest

- Any vehicles classified as "Light Trucks" that have 3-star NHTSA rollover ratings must have stability control and side curtain airbags available as an option. Those with 2-stars or less must have them standard, as well as having head restraints, shoulder belts and seatbelt warnings for all occupied passenger positions.

What about something on the bottom of the seat that will help it "grip" leather/vinyl seats better? I know that you can put a piece of shelf liner type stuff down, but that is one more thing that a lot of parents don't know about.
Beth

GET OHIO TO PASS THE 8 & 80 LB

Thank you for your Suggestions!

I just received this note and thank you message regarding your suggestions:

"The wish list suggestions from Parentsplace and Car-seat.org were summarized and copies distributed to all who attended the recent meeting of child passenger experts in government, industry, insurance, the medical field, and advocates. It is important that the ideas and concerns of parents be heard and considered for action and we thank all those who took the time to respond.

The outcome of the meeting with recommendations will be release to the public in the near future. Highlights of what was discussed included: trends in child fatality and injury statistics to learn of successes and areas for more work; CPS programs at the State level and where improvements are needed particularly with respect to restraint laws, education, and funding; getting older kids in boosters and all kids in back seats; the importance of improved side impact protection, Integrated child restraints, learning from International regulations and trends, the child estraint liability crisis threatening companies in the US; removing barriers to booster use; programs that work to get low income families using restraints; plans for education on advanced airbags coming soon; studies on how restrained children are being injured so improvements can be made; more focus on Special Needs children in restraints will require a separate and dedicated meeting.

Thanks again to all who contributed and be assured that efforts are under way to efficiently advance the needs of child passenger safety in motor vehicles."