NHTSA NOW REQUIRES CHILD SAFETY SEATS TO PROTECT IN SIDE-IMPACT COLLISIONS
On June 22, 2022, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule updating testing standards for child safety seats, effective August 1, 2022. The previous standard only required child seats to pass a frontal-impact collision test simulating 30 mph. The final rule amends this standard to require child safety seats also pass a side-impact test that replicates a 30-mph side collision, or T-bone crash.
According to NHTSA, “child seats sold in the U.S. will need to provide proper restraint, manage side crash forces, and protect against harmful head and chest contact with intruding structures.” They will also need to “withstand crash forces from a side impact without collapsing or fragmenting in a manner that could harm the child,” NHTSA said.
NHTSA adopted a compliance date of June 30, 2025, meaning child safety seats manufactured on or after June 30, 2025, must meet both the frontal and side-impact collision standards.
If you have questions on how to properly choose and install a child safety seat, the NHTSA has detailed information available here.
Romano Law Group is a leader in child safety seat litigation. We fight to hold manufacturers responsible for defects that occur in the design, manufacturing, and sale of defective child restraint products.
Authored by Jessica Latour
