Aside from the sheer fear of the childbirth experience, the next thing parents often worry about is the car seat. New and experienced moms and dads alike are often confused and stressed about installation and whether they did it right.

Adding more stress to the car seat issue are the results of a new study recently reported in Traffic Safety Prevention magazine. Parents have long been told that rear-facing car seats are the safest for children under the age of two. A new study conducted by Robson Forensics, however, contradicted that when it stated facing towards the rear can actually cause more harm.

What the Study Supposedly Revealed 

Robson Forensics, a Pennsylvania company that provides investigations, reports, and testimony for legal cases and insurance claims, tested dummy models of 6-month-old babies in three types of rear-facing seats. The car seats were secured with both the seatbelt and the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, aka LATCH, methods in the backseat of a 2102 Toyota Camry. The company conducted 36 safety tests that simulated being hit from behind at 30 mph. The company states that the results showed that in two out of three of the seats tested, the dummies’ heads were more likely to strike the back seats in these crashes and to strike their heads harder when using the LATCH system.

Why the Results May Not be Reliable

Naysayers of the test results doubt what they reveal is accurate. Rear crashes rarely occur at 30 mph, as the colliding vehicle’s driver is usually slamming on the brakes in the moments before the crash occurs. In fact, the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducts its tests at 20 mph, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration doesn’t even conduct these types of tests. Moreover, car seats sold in the United States aren’t required to meet any rear-end crash safety standards, as these types of accidents aren’t typically a cause of injury for children.

The Takeaway

No matter what, you should always put your child in a safety seat according to her age and weight. Current recommendations state children should face the rear until ages 1 or 2 and fire and police stations often offer free inspections to ensure the seats are installed properly. Other than that, there’s not much more you can do to keep your child safe, besides driving carefully and defensively.

Unfortunately, no matter how safely you drive, you can still become of the victim of an accident. The attorneys of the Steinberg Injury Lawyers have helped many victims in the Los Angeles area receive the compensation they deserve, and may be able to do the same for you. Schedule your free consultation and learn more by calling 800-989-6385.

Peter Steinberg
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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Since 1982