Age/height/weight/development requirements on car seats?

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I have a question that has been nagging at me . . .

How do car seat manufacturers decide what limits to put on the use of their seats?

In particular, I am curious as to why weight (especially the magic number of 22 lbs) makes such a difference in areas where it seems like it shouldn't. Here are some examples:

Example 1: On my infant seat, there is a recline angle for babies from 5-22 lbs and one for babies from 22-35 lbs. Why? I don't understand how weight would factor into recline angle when other manufacturers put age limits ("3+ months" on Graco seats, for example) or developmental limits, ("older babies with more head control") on their seats to indicate when a RF-ing baby can be more upright.

Example 2: On my convertible seat, the infant insert must be used until 22 lbs if the baby is RF, and must be removed at 22 lbs. The stated purpose of the insert is to boost the baby up so that his/her shoulders are at the proper height -- so shouldn't it be a seated torso height minimum instead of a weight minimum?

Example 3: On my infant seat, the directions state, "We recommend using the Infant Insert until 22 lb (10 kg) or until child needs more room." When my child was looking uncomfortable at 9 months old and only 15 lbs, I called the manufacturer for more guidance. The representative on the phone just kept repeating the 22 lbs minimum and made it seem like I was being irresponsible for even raising the question of removing the insert before my baby reached 22 lbs.


So yeah, my question is two-fold:

1. How do manufacturers decide what their guidelines for use will be?

2. What's so special about weight -- in particular, what's so special about 22 lbs?
 
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
And Customer Service Reps are told to stick to the manual.
But yeah, they test seats on the test bench with the dummies at various weights and at various recline angles (CRABI 12 month at the full recline, I think the bigger 35lb 3 yo at the more upright). People are confused enough with the 'easy' rules, it would be too much if we also threw in other stuff like head control, you should see how many dads of newborns I get at BRU raving about how strong their baby is because they can lift their head for a second!). It's supposedly clearer and helps prevent liability if things are just written in black and white and according to what FMVSS 213 requires. (Here ya go, have some light evening reading... http://www.carseat.org/Legal/FMVSS213.pdf lol)
 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
And Customer Service Reps are told to stick to the manual.
But yeah, they test seats on the test bench with the dummies at various weights and at various recline angles (CRABI 12 month at the full recline, I think the bigger 35lb 3 yo at the more upright). People are confused enough with the 'easy' rules, it would be too much if we also threw in other stuff like head control, you should see how many dads of newborns I get at BRU raving about how strong their baby is because they can lift their head for a second!). It's supposedly clearer and helps prevent liability if things are just written in black and white and according to what FMVSS 213 requires. (Here ya go, have some light evening reading... http://www.carseat.org/Legal/FMVSS213.pdf lol)

Thank you for the light reading! :love:
 

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