Thank you wonderful moms for your comments and questions.
There are a few areas I'd like to comment on so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not Monkey Tyz is right for you and your child.
This product was created to deter kids from unbuckling their top buckle. There are other products out there that address lower buckles, upper straps and seat belt attachments. My inspiration was to build something to deal with my son's issue of unbuckling - not all kids will do that, as some of you mention. Yale University just conducted a study released in May 2011 that shows 1 out of 3 children will unbuckle. There are 4 million babies born in the US each year. So the problem is real and many mothers are resorting to duct tape and turkey ties.
As for crash testing, it’s a little grey in terms of what is required of us as inventors. Technically because we are an "accessory" there are currently no safety regulations or guidelines for us to adhere to. We fit in the same category as the head rests and other car seat attachments. We have been in touch with the, Office of Traffic Safety OTS, NTSB, CHP, certified car seat installers and car seat manufacturers who have given us their feedback. Although we aren't required to do it we are working with three different car seat manufactures that will be doing crash testing for us near future. We are also talking about co-branding with a different car seat manufacturer as well. The support from the manufacturers has been overwhelming. The crash testing will be done with both buckle and Velcro to compare the two tests. Once this happens we will be put on the approved list for each manufacturer. We know that the car seat installers want us on the “list” and we are making great strides in this arena.
The buckle on the back is the best latching solution we have found. It is about the thickness of a large button that you may have on your own clothing; and our belief is that if you were to get into a collision, at least the chest clip buckle will be latched and your child will be in their seat. Until crash tests are performed, we won’t know the physical affects to a child's body. We believe it’s minimal and so do the manufacturers’
Velcro may work to deter younger children, but by the time they are 24 months and older, they would figure it out pretty quickly. We would hope that as a child gets older, and they can be 'reasoned with" or "rewarded" for staying buckled you may not need Monkey Tyz, and that is our goal!
As with any product made, we are constantly thinking about ways to improve it, and other products we might find to keep our little ones safe. If we can save one life then all of these efforts are worth it all. Below I have attached a video from the media addressing the Yale University study. If you have any questions or want to contact me directly, I'd be happy to chat with you about any ideas or feedback you have.
Thanks again for your comments.
Gayleen Pellicano, Founder and CEO, Monkey Tyz
monkeytyz@gmail.com
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY7-tek9sMc"]Survey: Young Kids Unbuckling Car Seats - YouTube[/ame]