Consumer Information Regulations; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Safety Rating Program for Child Restraint Systems

Riepilogo

The Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act requires that, by November 2002, a safety rating for child restraints be established to create a consumer information program to provide practicable, readily understandable, and timely information to consumers. Consumers could use the information to make informed decisions on the purchase of child restraint systems (CRS). In addition, TREAD directed the Secretary of Transportation to take into consideration, "whether to include a child restraint in each vehicle crash-tested under the New Car Assessment Program." In response to this mandate, the agency has decided to establish a consumer information program for add on child restraints based on ease of use. We believe that this consumer information program will encourage child restraint manufacturers to produce child restraints with features that make it easier for consumers to use and install, thereby, leading to increased correct use of child restraints and increased safety for child passengers. In addition, we have decided to perform two pilot programs to gather additional information about two other aspects of child passenger safety. One pilot pr