GREENSBORO, N.C. — New parents face a slew of purchases as they welcome a new baby, but perhaps none are as important as an infant car seat. When you shop around, many of them look alike, so how do you know which ones will protect your baby when you need it most?
Consumer Reports uses state-of-the-art science and testing to rate and recommend the safest seats for any budget.
"The main objective of a car seat is to manage the crash forces with the energy absorption, keeping it away from the child," said Jennifer Stockburger of Consumer Reports.
While all child seats sold in the US must meet federal safety requirements, Consumer Reports goes beyond and conducts its own crash tests at a higher speed, and test-sled designed to closely represent the inside of a car and a real-world crash.
And that includes looking at new designs like seats with “load legs''. These are extra supports that extend from a car seat’s base to the vehicle’s floor, and they make infant seats that much safer.
The Clek Liing is CR’s top recommended infant seat earning high scores (90) for crash protection. It's $459. The second pick is just one testing point off and is $110 cheaper. It's the Graco Premier SnugFit 35XT featuring load leg technology at $349.
Along with crash tests, Consumer Reports engineers also evaluate each seat for how easy it is to use and install.
"Car seats are unique in that there's so much of the consumer's use that actually affects the outcome of how it controls energy and protects a child in a crash," said Stockburger.
The reasonably priced Chicco KeyFit is rated as one of the easiest seats to install and also top for safety.
Always make sure that your child is buckled properly and the seat is properly installed every single time. To help you make the best and safest choice, try the Consumer Reports free infant car seat finder.