How Consumer Reports Tests Child Car Seats

Consumer Reports introduced its latest crash test protocol in 2014. CR studied research on pediatric biomechanics and child-injury patterns in vehicle crashes. We also analyzed crash-test videos and data from crashes conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada. We conferred with other child passenger safety and automotive safety experts. And we reviewed our protocol with Priya Prasad, Ph.D., an expert in vehicle safety and injury biomechanics.

For many years, Consumer Reports performed simulated frontal crash testing at 30 mph based on the criteria outlined in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FVMSS 213), which is NHTSA's standard for crash performance of child restraints (child car seats). Manufacturers self-certify that their car seats meet this federal standard.

Consumer Reports developed its own test protocol to provide consumers with comparative information on a car seat's potential to offer an extra margin of safety in certain crash conditions. We evaluate performance on a scale that ranks seats from those that have the least potential to offer that extra margin (these are rated as "basic") to seats that have the most potential ("best"). Our focus on that extra margin is based on the fact that any car seat sold in the U.S. already must provide an essential level of safety under the government standards it must meet.

To create our latest test, Consumer Reports considered real-world vehicle conditions and increased the speed of the simulated frontal impact test from 30 mph to 35 mph. Our test also includes installing the car seat on a test "bench" that uses the cushions and hardware from an actual vehicle seat. It also incorporates a surface to simulate the back of front-row seats, something present in all vehicles with at least two rows. Research shows that when children are injured in frontal crashes, it's most often because they have hit their heads on something in the vehicle, such as the back of the front seat.

To pass the current federal safety standard, car seats with load legs are tested without the load leg. However, we want to ensure that each seat is given its maximum benefit by implementing the use of the load leg in CR's tests. As these seats have become more commonplace, CR updated its crash test sled - the fixture that simulates crashes - to include a carpeted surface to better represent a vehicle floor and to allow the results to reflect the contribution of the load leg. 

Our crash protection ratings are based on (a) injury criteria measured on standardized child-sized dummies generally used in this type of simulated crash testing, (b) direct contact of the dummy's head with the simulated front seatback, and (c) a seat's ability to remain intact during the course of testing.

In addition to the outside lab crash testing, our certified child passenger safety technicians evaluate how easy the seats are to use. (We have four certified technicians on staff.) This is an important part of our testing, because ease of use and understanding the directions help consumers properly install the seats in their own vehicles. 

The last piece of every car seat rating includes how well a seat fits in a variety of vehicles. We install all of the car seats in each unique rear seating position of five different vehicle types. These vehicles also include features that may make child seat installation a challenge based on our vehicle assessments. Our technicians follow the manufacturers' instructions carefully and make judgments based on how securely each seat could be installed.

Through this rigorous testing, each car seat is awarded an Overall Score based on a weighted combination of all three of these components.

Below we highlight the best infant, convertible, booster, and all-in-one seats in our tests. 

Child seats have come a long way over the years, but proper installation is key. On the "Consumer 101" TV show, Consumer Reports expert Jennifer Stockburger shows host Jack Rico what to do to keep little ones safe in a car.