The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has developed an Ease of Use Ratings system for comparing child safety seats. Although you may use the rating information to help you select a child safety seat, remember that the rating may not necessarily mean the seat is the best choice for your child and your vehicle. A properly used and installed child safety seat is the best protection for your child in a crash.
NHTSA’s Ease of Use Ratings is a 5-star ratings system that ranks certain car seat features by how easy they are to use.
5 Stars = Excellent features on this child restraint for this category.
4 stars = Above average features on this child restraint for this category.
3 stars = Average features on this child restraint for this category.
2 stars = Below average features on this child restraint for this category.
1 star = Poor features on this child restraint for this category.
N/A = Does not contain any features that require a rating.
The system evaluates four basic categories:
- Car seat instruction manual
- Vehicle installation features
- Labels
- Features used for securing a child in the car seat
To learn more about the rating system click here.