Why is latch safer

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On this page:. Add a header to begin generating the table of contents. There are two types of Lower Anchors: Flexible and Rigid. Most vehicles do not have a set of lower anchors dedicated to the middle seat, and most do not allow the use of the inner anchors from either side for installation in the center.

Check the vehicle owner's manual to see if this is allowed. You'll also need to consult the car seat owner's manual to see if the manufacturer approves of the use of their seat with non-standard spacing of lower anchors. You may have heard that the center seat is the safest, which is true, statistically, though only slightly.

A passenger can't take a direct hit in the center. Sitting in the center reduces the risk of injury from about 0. So while it is safer, it is just a tiny bit safer. But if it is easiest for you to install your baby's car seat correctly with LATCH, it is perfectly acceptable to use one of the outer seating positions to do so when LATCH is not available in the center or doesn't work well for you there.

If the vehicle manufacturer put lower anchors and tethers in the outboard spots, they clearly intended for children to ride there, and the vehicle has been tested that way.

Your child's weight also affects the safety of the installation method. Car seats are labeled with a maximum weight for installation with the lower anchors. The maximum weight for a lower anchor installation may be different when the seat is used rear-facing than when it is turned forward-facing. If your child's weight exceeds the weight limit for using the lower anchors to install that particular car seat, you'll need to switch and use the seat belt to install the car seat.

Remember to continue using the tether strap on forward-facing car seats, whether you are using seat belt or lower anchors for the installation. Before you decide how to install your child's car seat, try out all of the possible seating positions with the seat belt and with lower anchors, if available. Get guidance from the vehicle owner's manual and the car seat instruction book. Find a car seat safety event or technician in your area if you need additional help. Bottom line: The safest installation method is the one that you are able to get the tightest installation and is approved by the car seat and vehicle manufacturer.

Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. American Academy of Pediatrics. Updated February 24, The Car Seat Lady. Seating patterns and corresponding risk of injury among 0- to 3-year-old children in child safety seats. Child Passenger Safety. Last reviewed September 15, Your Privacy Rights.

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Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Unfortunately, there are factors that can make installation of LATCH-equipped seats difficult or, in some cases, impossible. 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. Chrysler Group and General Motors are good at providing three sets of attachments in their larger vehicles, and Ford owner's manuals often allow for child seats to be positioned in the middle using the inner anchors from the left and right side LATCH anchors. Some vehicles have very firm seat cushions, making it difficult to fit your hand in to find and access the anchor.

Other vehicles have soft cushions, but the anchor is recessed so far back that it's difficult to reach. Optimally located lower anchors provide enough space for an adult hand to easily access them.

Getting to the top tethers can also be a difficult and frustrating process. Many vehicles have well-positioned anchors that are readily accessible; parents can simply run the top tether under the head restraint and clip it into the top tether anchor. Never run the tether over a removable or adjustable head restraint because the soft material in the head restraint can compress and create slack in the tether strap.

It is better to remove or raise the restraint and run the tether over the seatback. Of all vehicle types, sedans generally have tether anchors that are easiest to reach, located on the rear deck behind the seats, typically set inside a small, covered recess. Wagons, SUVs, and hatchbacks with good tether anchors have them positioned midway up the back of the seats, sometimes with plastic covers that snap in place when they aren't being used. Ideal setups provide one top tether anchor for each seat location, so the straps are anchored straight back without twisting.

But many wagons and hatchbacks also have less-friendly tether anchor locations. Some place the anchors at the base of the seat where it folds.

These can be a full arm's-length away, making them already difficult to reach. To access this anchor from within the cabin, it may be necessary to tilt the seatback forward--a challenging maneuver if a large child seat is already on the vehicle's seat. Other models place the tether anchors beneath carpet or covers in the cargo floor. Hatchbacks and wagons also often have a cargo cover that protects luggage from the sun or the prying eyes of thieves.

But the space between the cargo cover and the seatback is often very narrow, making it impossible to fit the tether strap through. The cover must be removed to access and install the tether strap, which is just another annoyance to deal with and adds to the potential for parents or caregivers to opt out of a crucial step.

Make sure that you thoroughly read the owner's manual for your vehicle and the instructions for your child's seat to give you the best chance of getting the most secure fit. It is important for consumers to make sure they consider how their child's seat is going to fit in any vehicle they are considering for purchase.