Consumer reports rates 2 car seats poorly.
I have a question for the mommies. They are talking about the Latch and said to use a seat belt instead. I thought the latch was just an added safety feature. Meaning you should still use a seat belt.
Car Seat Tests Show Flaws
POSTED: 4:27 pm EDT April 4, 2005
UPDATED: 6:18 pm EDT April 4, 2005
Using child safety seats in cars has saved more than 7,000 young lives over the years, but Consumer Reports' most recent tests of safety seats found several with problems.
More Information
Consumer Reports
Two-month-old Joseph Kaplan rides in a rear-facing car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics said rear-facing is the safest position for babies until they reach the weight limit of the seat.
Consumer Reports recently tested 34 safety seats. Federal standards require seats to withstand a crash test at 30 miles per hour. But in a Consumer Reports crash test, one of three seats -- the Combi Avatar -- broke loose at less than 30 miles per hour.
The LATCH strap that holds the seat in place ripped in half, said Consumer Reports' Kim Kleman.
'You can tell that the LATCH strap was severed. It just completely broke,' Kleman said.
On the box, the Combi Avatar says rear-facing, it can hold a child 'from five pounds to 30 pounds.' Thirty pounds is the weight of the dummy Consumer Reports used in its tests.
Consumer Reports rated the seat 'Not Acceptable.' It's the Combi Avatar model number 8100.
The tests also found problems with the Evenflo PortAbout 5. It was tested using a 22-pound dummy -- the maximum weight recommended by the manufacturer. It rated 'Poor' for crash protection when used with the LATCH.
The seat detached from its base in two out of five crash tests at 30.4 miles per hour. That's just above the government's 30 mile-per-hour standard.
Consumer Reports said that's not enough of a safety margin.
'It's important to note that each of these seats performed poorly in our crash tests in their rear-facing positions when we used their LATCH belts. These connect directly to metal anchors in the car,' Kleman said.
But the same seats -- the Evenflo PortAbout 5 and the Combi Avatar -- passed when crash-tested using a seat belt rather than the LATCH attachment.
'So if you already own one of these seats, just use them with a car's seat belt, not with the LATCH,' Kleman said.
Combi told NewsChannel 4: 'We are shocked by the rating the Combi Avatar received and intend to perform a thorough investigation. We recommend that consumers cease using the Avatar Convertible Restraint with LATCH installation and immediately begin to use the restraint with the standard vehicle belt installation. Combi is in the process of securing appointments to re-test the Avatar this testing will be made available to the public as quickly as possible.'
If you're shopping for a new seat, Consumer Reports top rated the following:
The Britax Companion for $200. It's for infants up to 22 pounds.
The $70 Evenflo Titan 5. You use it rear-facing at first, and then forward-facing for toddlers.
Consumer Reports notes there have been no reports of serious injuries with the seats that did poorly in the crash tests.
Car Seat Tests Show Flaws
POSTED: 4:27 pm EDT April 4, 2005
UPDATED: 6:18 pm EDT April 4, 2005
Using child safety seats in cars has saved more than 7,000 young lives over the years, but Consumer Reports' most recent tests of safety seats found several with problems.
More Information
Consumer Reports
Two-month-old Joseph Kaplan rides in a rear-facing car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics said rear-facing is the safest position for babies until they reach the weight limit of the seat.
Consumer Reports recently tested 34 safety seats. Federal standards require seats to withstand a crash test at 30 miles per hour. But in a Consumer Reports crash test, one of three seats -- the Combi Avatar -- broke loose at less than 30 miles per hour.
The LATCH strap that holds the seat in place ripped in half, said Consumer Reports' Kim Kleman.
'You can tell that the LATCH strap was severed. It just completely broke,' Kleman said.
On the box, the Combi Avatar says rear-facing, it can hold a child 'from five pounds to 30 pounds.' Thirty pounds is the weight of the dummy Consumer Reports used in its tests.
Consumer Reports rated the seat 'Not Acceptable.' It's the Combi Avatar model number 8100.
The tests also found problems with the Evenflo PortAbout 5. It was tested using a 22-pound dummy -- the maximum weight recommended by the manufacturer. It rated 'Poor' for crash protection when used with the LATCH.
The seat detached from its base in two out of five crash tests at 30.4 miles per hour. That's just above the government's 30 mile-per-hour standard.
Consumer Reports said that's not enough of a safety margin.
'It's important to note that each of these seats performed poorly in our crash tests in their rear-facing positions when we used their LATCH belts. These connect directly to metal anchors in the car,' Kleman said.
But the same seats -- the Evenflo PortAbout 5 and the Combi Avatar -- passed when crash-tested using a seat belt rather than the LATCH attachment.
'So if you already own one of these seats, just use them with a car's seat belt, not with the LATCH,' Kleman said.
Combi told NewsChannel 4: 'We are shocked by the rating the Combi Avatar received and intend to perform a thorough investigation. We recommend that consumers cease using the Avatar Convertible Restraint with LATCH installation and immediately begin to use the restraint with the standard vehicle belt installation. Combi is in the process of securing appointments to re-test the Avatar this testing will be made available to the public as quickly as possible.'
If you're shopping for a new seat, Consumer Reports top rated the following:
The Britax Companion for $200. It's for infants up to 22 pounds.
The $70 Evenflo Titan 5. You use it rear-facing at first, and then forward-facing for toddlers.
Consumer Reports notes there have been no reports of serious injuries with the seats that did poorly in the crash tests.
