Car Seat Rating Systems: What the Numbers Really Mean
Walk into any big-box baby store and you'll find a dizzying array of items you didn't even know you had. Cradle beds, legged pajamas, baby baths, anything, they have it.
They also have rows and rows of car seats that look the same. But is it?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration maintains a database that rates car seats on a five-star system that rates car seats based on:
- Instruction quality
- Easy installation
- Marking Clarity
- Easy to protect your child
Car seats come in three categories:
- RF - Rear facing seats
- FF - facing forward
- B - Booster
The NHTSA breaks down the five-star rating system as follows:
- 5 Stars = The car seat is excellent for its category.
- 4 Stars = Features, instructions and overall ease of use are above average for its category.
- 3 Stars = Average product for its category.
- 2 Stars = Features, instructions, labeling and ease of use are below average for their category.
- 1 Star = Poor overall performance of this child safety seat.
While car seats may look the same, they are not. Parents can view a complete list of seat models and ratings by visiting the NHTSA website.
