Child safety
would not be restrained and cou ld be
seriously injured in an accident .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS when-
ever using a child restrained in a vehicle is
being used
¢ page 214 . Special precaut ions
apply when installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat
c> page 191, Child
restraints on the front seat - some impor-
tant things to know .
LATCH system (Lower
anchorages and tethers
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,
Federa l regulations require special lower ancho-
rages in vehicles and devices on new child re-
straints to attach to the vehicle anchorages .
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called the
LATCH system for "Lower Anchorages and
Tethers for Ch ildren." In Canada, the terms "top
tether" with "lower universal anchorages" (or
"lower universal anchorage bars") are used to de-
scribe the system .
Forward-facing child restraints manufactured af-
ter September 1, 1999, are required by U.S. fed-
eral regulations to comply with new child head
movement performance requirements. These
new performance requirements make a tether
necessary on most new child seats.
Instal ling a child restraint that requ ires a top
tether without one can serious ly impair the per-
formance of the child restraint and its ability to
protect the chi ld in a collision. Install ing a child
restraint that requires a top tether without the
top tether may be a violation of state law.
Child restraint manufacturers offer LATCH lower
anchorages on their ch ild seats with hook-on or
push-on connectors attached to adjustable
straps .
228
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.
A WARNING
Improper installation of child restraints will
increase the risk of injury and death in a
crash .
- Always follow the instructions provided by
the manufacturer of the ch ild restraint you
inte nd to install in your vehicle .
- Never install a child restraint without a
properly attached top tether strap if the
child restra int manufacture r's instructions
require the t op tether st rap to be used.
- Improper use of child restraint LATCH lower
anchorage points can lead to injury in a colli-
sion. The LATCH lower anchorage points are
designed to withst and only those loads im-
posed by correctly fitted child restraints .
- Never mo unt t wo child rest raint systems on
one LATCH lowe r an chorage point.
- Never secure or atta ch any luggage o r othe r
item to the LATCH lowe r an chorages.
(D Tips
- In Canada, the terms "t op tether" with
"lower universal anchorages" (or "lower uni-
versa l anchorage bars") a re used to describe
the system.
- In other countries, the term "ISOFIX" is
used to descr ibe the lower anc horages.
Location
Fig. 1 74 Schemat ic overview : LATCH anchorage point loca·
t ions
1111-
To Next Page
Loading...
