82 Seating and Safety Restraints
Attaching Child Safety Seats with LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
Attachments
The LATCH system is composed of three anchor points: two
lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat
cushion meet (called the “seat bight”) and one top tether
anchor located behind that seating position.
LATCH compatible child safety seats have two rigid or web-
bing mounted attachments that connect to the two lower
anchors at the LATCH equipped seating positions in your
vehicle. This type of attachment method eliminates the need to
use safety belts to attach the child seat. For forward-facing
child seats, the top tether strap must also be attached to the
proper top tether anchor, if a top tether strap has been provided
with your child seat. Mobility Ventures recommends the use of
a child safety seat having a top tether strap.
NEVER attach two child safety seats to the same anchor.
REASON: In a crash, one anchor may not be strong
enough to hold two child safety seat attachments and may
break, causing serious injury or death.
If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, and
have attached the top tether strap to the proper top tether
anchor, do not tighten the tether strap enough to lift the child
seat off the vehicle seat cushion when the child is seated in it.
Keep the tether strap just snug without lifting the front of the
child seat. Keeping the child seat just touching the vehicle seat
gives the best protection in a severe crash.
Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is prop-
erly attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applica-
ble. Tug the child seat from side to side and forward and back
where it is secured to the vehicle. The seat should move less
than one inch when you do this, indicating a proper installa-
tion.
LOWER
ANCHORS
LOWER
ANCHORS
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