While it’s always safer (and required by law) to put your baby in a car seat when he or she rides in the car, we all assumed that car seats were rigorously tested to ensure our children’s safety. Turns out, says Consumer Reports in their upcoming February issue, this isn’t actually the case. Federal safety testing of car seats only requires they perform well in crashes up to 30 miles per hour. Over that, and… well, the results weren’t good.

What can a concerned parent do? First, send an email or written letter to your representatives in Congress asking them to support tougher safety laws regarding car seats. Additionally, Consumer Reports says the following:

• If you”re shopping for an infant car seat, buy one of the two we recommend. (See the Ratings.)
• If you already own a Chicco KeyFit, Compass I410, Evenflo Embrace, or Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP, use it with vehicle safety belts, which passed our tests, not with LATCH, which didn”t. If you can”t get a tight fit with the safety belt, buy one of the two seats we recommend.
• If you own a different infant seat, consider replacing it with the Baby Trend Flex-Loc or the Graco SnugRide with EPS.
• Secure your child in the center-rear seat if the car seat can be tightly fastened there. Go to http://www.nhtsa.gov to find a free car-seat inspection station near you.
• Send in the registration card that comes with new car seats, so that the manufacturer can contact you if the seat is recalled.
• Remember that any child car seat is better than no seat at all.

Make sure you check out their ratings to see where your family’s car seat falls, and what to purchase if it’s not as safe as you want.

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