Consumer Reports Withdraws Infant Car Seat Report

Consumer Reports Withdraws Infant Car Seat Report

Move is Made Pending Additional Testing Now Underway

NEW YORK (Jan. 18) -- Consumer Reports is withdrawing its recent report on infant car seats pending further tests of the performance of those seats in side-impact collisions.

A new report will be published with any necessary revisions as soon as possible after the new tests are complete.

We withdrew the report immediately upon discovering a substantive issue that may have affected the original test results. The issue came to light based on new information received Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerning the speed at which our side-impact tests were conducted.

The original study, published in the February issue of Consumer Reports, was aimed at discovering how infant seats performed in tests at speeds that match those used in the government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). This program tests most new vehicles in crashes at speeds of 35 mph for frontal impact and 38 mph for side impact. Child safety seats, in contrast, are currently tested only in front-impact crashes at speeds of 30 mph.

Our tests were intended to simulate side crashes at the NCAP speed of 38 mph. The new information raises a question about whether the tests accurately simulated that speed, however, so we are now reviewing our tests and the resulting article.

To those who may have seen the report earlier in print, on the Web, or in broadcasts, we urge you to remember that use of any child seat is safer than no child seat, but to suspend judgment on the merits of individual products until the new testing has been completed and the report re-published.

We appreciate that manufacturers and particularly NHTSA are engaging directly with us on this article, and we applaud NHTSA for giving serious consideration to the development of side-impact child seat tests. Consumer Reports has long advocated adoption of such tests, since government data show that side crashes account for a significant number of child fatalities.

We look forward to re-issuing guidance on child-seat safety as soon as possible.

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===========================

Lauren Hackett

Communications Manager

Ph. 914.378.2561

CONSUMER REPORTS

Our mission since 1936: Test, Inform, Protect

www.ConsumerReports.org

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Interesting. NBC Nightly News is supposed to lead off with this story tonight.

A lot of panic they've caused -- it would be nice if we could see them INSTALL the carseats to know if they're doing it correctly....

They said before that some of their "Techs" (certified?) weren't able to install some of the carseats: it is basic course material that not every carseat is compatible with every vehicle.

What time does NBC News come on? Sorry for the stupid question...I don't watch the news!

LOL You'd think that such a large company would have gotten it right the first time LOL.. Oh well, Im glad I dont have a subscription to Consumer Reports (what a waste of money lol) I wish I had some extra cars laying around so I could do my own test with the carseats I think about using LOL

I'm SO glad to hear this.
It's so sad how much panic they created.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/AUTOS/01/18/car_seat/index.html

Quote:
Consumer Reports made the announcement, the magazine said, after receiving information Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from NHTSA that raised questions about whether the 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.

It's amazing what comes out when the magazine releases some of it's testing to NHSTA!

suprise, suprise!

A collective "We/techs/Darren the anti-CR crusader told you so" or something seems appropriate.

Jeanum said:

A collective "We/techs/Darren the anti-CR crusader told you so" or something seems appropriate.

Click to expand...

that's what I'm thinking.

So does anybody else find themselves very impressed with the snugride now? 70mph is pretty darn fast. I'm sure that almost never happens.

RubysGirl said:

So does anybody else find themselves very impressed with the snugride now? 70mph is pretty darn fast. I'm sure that almost never happens.

Click to expand...

Ya know, that IS pretty impressive. But hell, I'm impressed with all of the ones that didn't fly out of their bases. Honestly, I would not fault anyone if a car seat crumbled in a speed of that severity. Besides, car seat or no, taking a direct hit at 70 MPH is pretty much unsurvivable.

Ditto Splash, good point.

I'm impressed! I also find it interesting that the European Britax passed despite the fact it has a 3 point harness and no chest clip. Wish we could all get together and figure out what really is best.

I am SOOO disappointed with CR. I used to love them.

I'm so glad they retracted it. I knew (we all knew) something wasn't right about that "study" (I use the word loosely). I wonder if people will pay attention and calm down when they read the retraction, or if they will still take the study to heart?

Is it any wonder that a Safeseat would "slam" back harder than you'd like to see in a 70 mph crash?

You know what I think is amazing? Dh actually called me to tell me he heard about it on NPR and asked if I was going to post about it. I think I've got him trained now.

I've made copies of CR's statement and NHTSA's statement that I will be passing out to all parents at a seat check we're doing tonight!

Hallelujah!

Sam & Pacey said:

What time does NBC News come on? Sorry for the stupid question...I don't watch the news!

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's 6:30 on the East/West Coasts.

Wow...you'd think they'd make sure their facts are straight before they release something like that.