Ease of Use Ratings for Child Safety Seats.

Assembly

Under this category the child safety seat is rated based on it being ready to use or if something needs to be done, such as putting the seat padding on, moving the harness straps, or having to attach the tether strap. Also rated under this category are whether the child restraint owner’s manual is easy to find and whether it can be removed and replaced easily from the storage compartment.

Evaluation of Labels

Under this category, the child safety seat is rated on how well the labels show how to properly use the child safety seat.  Does the label show a diagram indicating the proper size range child for the mode of use (e.g., does a convertible seat show the child size range both rear and forward facing?).  Does the label show which harness slots are ok to use?  Do the labels include diagrams of how to install the seat using the vehicle’s lap and lap/shoulder belts and show how to prepare and use the LATCH lower attachments. The labels are also rated on whether they are peeling or not.

Evaluation of Instructions

Under this category, the child safety seat is rated on how well the instructions show how to properly use the child safety seat. Do the instructions show a diagram indicating the proper size range child for the mode of use (e.g., does a convertible seat show the child size range both rear and forward facing?).  Do the instructions show which harness slots are ok to use? Is there an air bag warning for each mode of use? Do the instructions include diagrams of how to install the child seat using the vehicle’s lap and lap/shoulder belts and show how to prepare and use the LATCH lower attachments. Also rated is whether the information in the written instructions and on the labels match.

Securing the Child

Under this category the child safety seat is rated on whether or not the seat’s features make it easy to secure a child.  Features rated include if the shoulder harness adjustment is easy to access and easy to tighten and loosen when the child safety seat is installed, number of harness slots and if they are visible in the padding and child seat shell, ease of converting it to another mode (e.g., rear-facing to forward facing, forward facing to booster). Also rated is whether or not the harness buckle can be released easily if buckled in reverse.

Installing Features

Under this category the child seat is rated on whether or not the seat’s features make it easy to install.  Features rated include whether or not the vehicle belt path or the LATCH attachments interfere with adjusting the shoulder harness, the ease of routing the seat belt through the child seat belt path, whether the tether is easy to tighten and loosen, whether the LATCH attachments can be released if installed in reverse, and whether the booster seat belt positioning device allows slack to occur in the shoulder belt.