What is the benefit of the latch system?
LATCH makes it easier to get the child seat in right - the first time and every time. We know that as a parent or caregiver, you will do everything in your power to protect your children.
Is latch safer than a seatbelt?
Both LATCH and the seat belt are equally safe in general, but whether one is safer than the other depends entirely on your child, your vehicle, and you. One installation method should be carefully chosen for your baby's seat, though. It isn't safe to use both LATCH and the seatbelt to install a car seat.
Is latch required by law in the USA?
These are required by law in the USA for almost all model year 2003 and later vehicles. With the exception of the Volkswagen Passat and a few Audi models since 1999, lower LATCH anchors cannot be retrofitted onto earlier model vehicles. LATCH is not necessarily safer than using a seatbelt to install a carseat.
Where can I find information about latch use?
More information about LATCH use can be found at these websites: Consult your owner’s manuals to identify the correct attachments to use and the location of the anchors. Make sure the LATCH attachment straps are loose. Start with the carseat sideways on the vehicle seat.
Which is safer LATCH or seat belt?
Either seat belt or LATCH, when used correctly, are equally safe. There are many things to keep in mind when deciding which method to use for your child's car seat. Child's weight – If your child's weight is over the LATCH limit, then the decision to use a seat belt installation is an easy one as it's your only option.
Why should you not use LATCH and seat belt?
By using both the Lower Anchors and the seat belt system when you shouldn't, the force of the crash will place stress on the wrong areas of the car seat, which can cause the car seat not to function properly. In fact, most manufactures advise that using both doesn't allow the car seat to move properly during a crash.
Is it better to install car seat with LATCH or seat belt?
LATCH: Which Is Safer? The safest installation method is the one that offers the most secure installation (the seat moves as little as possible, always less than one inch in any direction). If you want to install the car seat in a rear center position, that usually requires using the seat belt.
Is a LATCH booster seat safer?
Booster seats that only use the seat belt to secure the child, and don't secure the seat, gain no additional safety benefit from the LATCH system. It's there mainly for convenience: the child can get in the seat themselves without it shifting and it doesn't become "free" when not in use.
When should you not use LATCH?
In order to use the LATCH system, the sum of the child's weight and the weight of the car seat must be no more than 65 pounds. Since most car seats weigh upwards of 20 pounds now, many manufacturers recommend that you stop using the LATCH system when a child reaches 40 pounds.
Is rigid LATCH safer?
Is One Type of LATCH Safer than Another? Yes, rigid LATCH is safer than flexible LATCH (or the seat belt… which is also a flexible attachment) for several reasons. Rigid LATCH assures you of a proper installation every time.
What is the safest way to install a car seat?
The safest place for your child's car seat is in the back seat, away from active air bags. If the car seat is placed in the front seat and the air bag inflates, it could hit the back of a rear-facing car seat — right where the child's head is — and cause a serious or fatal injury.
Can you use LATCH in middle seat?
Do NOT install a car seat in the center seat using the lower anchors of the LATCH system unless your vehicle manual specifically states that a car seat can be installed in the center using the lower anchors.
What is the difference between ISOFIX and LATCH?
LATCH seats are secured using integrated tethers on the base of the seat. It wasn't until the 1990s when the ISOFIX safety feature was launched. Unlike in LATCH, ISOFIX seats have metal anchor arms that clip on the ISOFIX anchorages. Seatbelts have their own standard size, and little kids might be too short for them.
Can you install LATCH system in older car?
Cars made after 2002 have a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) system in place from the factory, but there aren't any kits available to retrofit older cars.
Should a booster have LATCH?
Most belt-positioning booster seats do not need to be attached to the vehicle so they do not come equipped with LATCH. Any car made after September 2002 must come with LATCH in at least two seating positions.
Do all high back boosters use LATCH?
A manufacturer may not allow LATCH use with boosters because the connectors may overlap the buckle, or for other reasons.
What is latch system?
LATCH systems help avoid common problems with belt fastening, such as a tilting base.
How much weight can a latch anchor hold?
Depending on what manufacturers estimate to be the weight of the average child seat, many limit LATCH use to between 40 and 48 lbs. Once children exceed this weight, ...
Why are safety belts narrower than the child seat base?
However, belts that have anchors narrower than the child seat base or belts that originate far from the center of the child seat increase the chances that the seat can twist or move side-to-side. The safety belts in many cars are also anchored far forward of the seatback, making it nearly impossible to get the seat secure.
How many child seats are installed incorrectly?
In fact, up to 75 percent of child seats are installed incorrectly or used improperly. With all such models, the belt is threaded through a path in the structure of the child seat and then clicked into place. Slack must be taken out of the belt to keep the seat snug.
Does latch work on child seats?
Based on our tests of both the child safety seats and vehicles, LATCH has really accomplished only the second objective. Consumer Reports Director of Operations at our Auto Test Center and Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Jennifer Stockburger notes that "installing a child restraint with LATCH is still quite a chore, as you need to make multiple connections to anchors that aren't always easy to find and reach. At least with LATCH, when you get all of that done you can be fairly sure that you have a tight fit, something you're not always sure of with the safety belts."
When were lower anchors required?
The corresponding hooks were required in all child-safety seats manufactured on or after September 1, 2002.
Where is the safest place to install a child seat?
Typically, the safest spot to install a child seat is in the center position of the rear seat. That positions the child farthest from danger in an impact. Unfortunately, most vehicles don't equip their vehicles with lower anchors in the center seats.
Why is latch important?
In theory, LATCH makes it easier to select a car seat, because all new car seats must meet LATCH standards and regulations. So buying a car seat should be as simple as determining which seat will be the best fit for your child.
When was latch introduced?
LATCH was rolled out gradually, with orders to be fully implemented by September of 2002. Years later, there are still a lot of questions -- and some of its purported benefits are still being called into question. Contents. LATCH is Universal and (Possibly) Easier to Use.
What does latch mean in car seat?
And so, the LATCH system was introduced. It stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren, and believe it or not, the acronym isn't the most awkward part of the initiative. Rather, that would be the result of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiative to force automakers and infant safety seat manufacturers to meet a series of standards that would simplify the entire process of getting a kid strapped safely into a car. LATCH was rolled out gradually, with orders to be fully implemented by September of 2002. Years later, there are still a lot of questions -- and some of its purported benefits are still being called into question.
Why do people install components incorrectly?
Others wrongly assume that because one part of the system offers a choice (like whether to use a seatbelt in lieu of the lower anchors), other parts are also optional (such as neglecting the upper tether system). The recent rise in childhood obesity has also led to problems.
Why is the lower anchor part of the latch?
The "lower anchor" part of LATCH was designed so that car seats no longer need to be strapped in with the car's seat belts -- it was confusing to know which belts to use, where they attached to or how they were supposed to be fed through the car seat and how they should be fastened. And there's no room for error.
How many anchor points are there on a top tether?
The top tethers get three anchor points (the locations vary depending on the type of vehicle, usually on the rear shelf for small cars and various other locations for vans or SUVs). Parents can still use the lower belts instead of the lower anchors if they choose, which (again) can be confusing.
Why are car seats latch?
One of the benefits of LATCH is that, in theory, the regulations would produce a set of common elements that would be instantly recognizable, allowing seats to be moved quickly and easily among different cars.
Why is latch system used?
The LATCH system was designed to simplify car seat installation, which in theory would reduce the risk of the seat being installed incorrectly. Simply put, the easier it is, the more likely someone will get it right. A correctly installed car seat is a safe car seat.
What is a latch in a car seat?
As most people know, LAT CH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) is touted to be the easiest and most simple way to install your child’s car seat. Because it’s somewhat “new” and is more frequently mentioned, a lot of people just assume it is safer to use the lower anchors and tether instead of the seat belt and tether (when indicated).
Is it safe to put a seat belt on a car seat?
A carseat installed correctly with a seat belt (and tether, if forward-facing) is just as safe as a carseat installed correct ly with the LATCH system of lower anchors and a top tether. In some cars, the lower LATCH anchors are buried and it is easier to get a proper install with a seat belt. In other cars, the anchors may be beautifully easy to access and it’s quicker to click, tighten, and go. It really depends on your vehicle, your child, and your car seat. One method triumphing another in terms of overall safety is false.
Why use latch?
The main reason to use LATCH, in my opinion, is because it’s both faster than a seat belt installation and takes less effort, even when you’re accomplished at both. It’s faster because you can typically do it one-handed, and you don’t need to figure out whether your seat belt locks or how to lock it or where to thread it through your car seat. You simply clip in your lower tether to the anchor and pull it taut on one side of the seat, and then do the same with the corresponding tether and anchor on the other side. That’s it.
Why is it easier to use a latch anchor?
It takes less effort because you don’t need to weigh down the car seat to make sure there’s enough tension in the seat belt. This often entails pushing down with one or both arms into the seat or even sitting inside it briefly when you’re using a seat belt, which is, frankly, a lot of work. You don’t need to do this with LATCH anchors, so LATCH is an easier system for people who can’t or don’t want to put a lot of force into the installation.
Why do booster seats need latch?
The reason LATCH can sometimes come into play with booster seats is because many parents forget that booster seats aren’t restrained to the vehicle’s seats except for when they’re buckled. Naturally, your child uses the seat belt to buckle himself or herself in while sitting in the seat, but kids often forget to buckle in the seats when they aren’t using them. And a 10-to 20-pound booster seat can easily become a fatal flying projectile in a collision if it’s not restrained. LATCH systems allow you to have seats permanently anchored to the vehicle, regardless of whether they’re being used or not. They don’t directly make your child safer, but they do make everyone in the vehicle safer if they reduce your odds of being hit by a flying booster seat in a collision.
Where are latch anchors located?
With few exceptions, LATCH anchors tend to be located more toward the center of the seats in which they’re installed. On top of that, most vehicles only include two sets of LATCH lower anchors, which are typically built into the outboard seats. This means you’re going to need to use the seat belt in the center seat for a 3 across installation ...
How much weight can a child have in a latch?
These weight limits may state, for example, that the LATCH system cannot be used once a child weighs more than 40 pounds, or once the child and car seat weigh more than a certain amount. It varies, and you need to be in compliance with both the seat and the vehicle’s limits. In contrast, when you’ve got a seat belt, ...
Is it safe to use seat belts over seat belts?
The truth is that neither is more safe than the other when used properly. According to government testing standards, there aren’ t any safety-related advantages to using seat belts over LATCH lower anchors, or LATCH lower anchors over seat belts, provided that the seats are installed correctly. The LATCH system is simply designed to be an easier ...
Is latch better than seat belt?
LATCH, after all, is usually easier to use with car seats than the seat belt . I personally find it faster and also enjoy how it requires less effort to get a solid install (remember, 1″ or less movement at the base of the seat).
What is a latch system?
The LATCH system was originally called ISOFIX, a term still used in Europe. In Canada, it is the Lower Universal Anchorage System (LUAS) or CANFIX. It has also been called the Universal Child Safety Seat System or UCSSS.
What is a latch in a car seat?
The term is often used generically to refer only to the pair of fixed lower anchors built into the bight or crack between the seat back and seat cushion.
What is a top tether?
A top tether (or top strap) is the supplemental attachment now standard on almost every new carseat in the USA. Top tethers can be used with either the seat belt or with the lower anchors (as part of the LATCH system). In other countries, their use may be required by law.
Why do you need a tether on your car seat?
If you have a tether on your carseat and an anchor in your vehicle, this system is recommended to reduce the chance (and severity) of injuries in a crash. Please consult the owner’s manual for your carseat and your vehicle for details.
How to tighten a hook on a bar?
Connectors with a hook must be carefully inserted over the anchor, then pressed down before pulling back and tightening. Alternately, you may insert the hook sideways and rotate it downward before pressing it onto the bar.
Is it safer to use a latch or seatbelt?
Is LATCH safer than using the seatbelts for installation? Not necessarily. A carseat PROPERLY installed with a seatbelt should be as safe as one properly installed with LATCH. LATCH should make it easier to get a proper installation.
Can you use both seatbelt and latch?
Can I use both LATCH and the seatbelt? Only one or the other is needed, you should generally use the one that provides the best fit.
Why was latch invented?
LATCH was invented in an attempt to decrease the misuse rate for car seats by giving parents an easier way to secure the child’s car seat to the vehicle. Unfortunately, LATCH did not reduce the misuse rate for car seats; the misuse rate continues to be approximately 90%. Rigid LATCH, by directly securing the steel frame ...
How does rigid latch work?
Rigid LATCH, by directly securing the steel frame of the child’s car seat to the steel frame of the car, virtually eliminates the side-to-side motion of the car seat in a side-impact and the front-to-back motion of the car seat in a frontal crash. As such, rigid LATCH can better contain the child’s body within the shell of the seat and decreases the chance of the child’s body hitting a hard structure in the vehicle, since the child’s seat can not move as much laterally or front-to-back as it can with seats that use a lower anchor strap or a seat belt. Rigid LATCH also has a much lower potential for mistakes to be made in installing the seat compared to when you need to tighten a lower anchor strap or seat belt.
What is the tether strap on a car seat?
The tether strap comes from the top of the car seat and has a hook on the end that will connect to the tether anchor in the vehicle. EVERY forward-facing car seat is safer when used with the tether.
What does latch mean in a tether?
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren.
How many lower anchors are required for 2003?
In the U.S., federal regulation mandates that vehicles model year 2003 and newer must have lower anchors in at least TWO positions and tether anchors in at least THREE positions.
Which seat has rigid latch?
Currently, the Nuna Pipa and Clek Liing are the only 2 rear-facing-only seats with rigid LATCH, and the Clek Foonf is the only seat to offer rigid LATCH for forward-facing.
Why do you need a tether in a car?
The tether also reduces the amount of acceleration and how much force is applied to the neck during a crash.
What is a latch in a car seat?
With car seats for younger children (infants or toddlers), there are straps which hold the child into the car seat and then an additional system to secure the seat to the car. This used to be with a regular seat belt, but in modern vehicles is more commonly with LATCH. (Having once fed a seat belt through a toddler seat in a car without LATCH, ...
How much does a car seat latch weigh?
Depending on the weight of your car seat or booster seat, this may mean the LATCH system only supports children weighing anywhere from 32-50 pounds. In these cases, it's necessarily safer to use the seat belts to secure the seat, rather than the LATCH system.
Do booster seats have a latch system?
Booster seats that only use the seat belt to secure the child, and don't secure the seat, gain no additional safety benefit from the LATCH system. It's there mainly for convenience: the child can get in the seat themselves without it shifting and it doesn't become "free" when not in use.
Can a child sit in a car seat without a seatbelt?
The LATCH connection for the seat you have isn't providing any additional restraint -- imagine your child sitting it in without a seatbelt, it's just as easy to fall forward in the case of an accident whether the seat is secured to the car or not.
Do car seats have a latch?
With car seats for younger children (infants or toddlers), there are straps which hold the child into the car seat and then an additional system to secure the seat to the car. This used to be with a regular seat belt, but in modern vehicles is more commonly with LATCH. (Having once fed a seat belt through a toddler seat in a car without LATCH, it's quite obvious that the LATCH system was a terrific innovation for its ease of use.)
