April 12, 2012

The Los Angeles Times (4/12, Hirsch) reports, “Child safety seats are difficult to properly install in cars, according to an insurance industry research group, because of the design of most passenger seats. Joint research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that just 21 of 98 top-selling 2010 and 2011 model year vehicles have seat designs that are easy to use with child restraints. The low percentage was notable, considering that the auto industry is using a system called Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children — or Latch — that was intended to make it easier to install the safety seats.” The insurance group’s report says that car designers have paid insufficient attention to the Latch system’s workings.