180 Child S a fet y
LATCH Lower
anchorages and tether
for children
Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
To provide a simpler and more practicable way
to attach the child restraint on the vehicle
seat, Federal regulations require specia l lower
anchorages in veh icles and dev ices on new
child restraints to attach to the vehicle ancho-
rages.
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called
the
LATCH system for "Lower Anchorages and
Tethers for Children ."
Forward-facing child restraints manufactured
after September 1, 1999, are required by U.S.
federal regulations to comply with new child
head movement performance requirements .
These new performance requirements make a
tether necessary on most new child seats.
Installing a child restraint that requires a top
tether without one can serious ly impair the
performance of the child restraint and its abi l-
ity to protect the child in a collision . Installing
a child restraint that requires a top tether
without the top tether may be a violation of
state law.
Child restra int manufacturers offer LATCH
lower anchorages on their child seats with
hook-on or push-on connectors attached to
adj ustab le straps.
In addition to the LATCH lower anchorages,
these child restraint systems usually require
the use of tether straps to help keep the child
restra int firmly in place.
_&. WARNING
Imprope r insta llation of child restraints
will increase the risk of inju ry and death in
a crash.
- Always fo llow the instructions provided
by the manufacturer of t he child re-
straint you intend to install in your vehi-
cle.
- Never install a child restraint without a
properly attached top tether strap if the
child restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions require the top tether strap to be
used.
- Improper use of child restraint LATCH
lower anchorage points can lead to injury
in a collision . The LATCH lower anchorage
points are designed to withstand on ly
those loads imposed by correctly fitted
child res t raints.
- Never mount two child restra int systems
on one LATCH lower anchorage point.
- Never secure or attach any luggage or
other item to the LATCH lower anchorag-
es.
(D Tips
In Canada, the terms "top tether" with
"lower universa l anchorages" (or "lowe r
universa l anchorage ba rs") are used to de-
scribe the system.
- In other countries, the term "ISOFIX" is
used to describe the lower a ncho rages.
Location
Fig. 155 Schematic overview: LATCH anchorage point
locations
The illust rat ion shows the seat ing loca tions in
you r vehicle which are equipped with the low-
er anchorages system.
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