NHTSAFinal Rule
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard: Child Restraint Systems—Side Impact Protection
TransportationHealthcare
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Summary
This regulation requires car manufacturers to improve child car seats to better protect children during side-impact crashes, when a vehicle is hit from the side. The rule aims to reduce injuries and deaths among children in accidents by strengthening how car seats handle these types of collisions.
Key Points
- 1Car seat manufacturers must design seats with better protection against side-impact crashes, not just front and rear crashes
- 2The rule applies to all child restraint systems sold in the United States, affecting every car seat and booster seat on the market
- 3Manufacturers will need to test their products against new safety standards before selling them, which may take several years to fully implement
- 4Parents and caregivers will benefit from safer car seats that provide more protection if their vehicle is hit from the side
- 5This is a federal safety standard, meaning all manufacturers must follow it—there are no exceptions for different brands or models
Key Dates
Published
July 2, 2025
This summary is for informational purposes only. It may not capture all nuances of the regulation. Always refer to the official text for authoritative information.
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