New car seat standards improve side-impact protection
Buying a car seat in the near future? Be aware of new safety standards.
Beginning June 30, 2025, newly purchased car seats must meet updated safety standards for side-impact crashes. The current standard requires the seats to meet performance criteria in a test simulating a 30 mph frontal impact. The incoming rule establishes a side-impact test replicating a 30 mph side collision, commonly known as a T-bone crash.
Side-impact crashes can be especially deadly because there is less space and structure between the child and the point of impact, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials said.
“These new standards are a major step forward in protecting children during one of the most serious types of crashes,” the agency told ABC News. “…NHTSA’s new standard ensures that child seats can restrain the child, prevent harmful head contact with a vehicle door or seat structure, and reduce crash forces to the chest.”
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, side-impact crashes account for 25% of passenger deaths. This statistic underscores the importance of choosing a car seat with effective side-impact protection.
What to know about car seat regulations
If you already own a car seat, there’s no need to replace it as long as it hasn’t expired, is correctly installed and has not been recalled.
The agency recommends using the correct type of seat based on your child’s weight and height, following the manufacturer’s instructions and checking the seat’s installation.
You don’t need to wait until June to buy a car seat that meets these regulations. Many car seats currently on shelves already do.
In 2022, the NHTSA announced changes to its crash testing requirements to protect children during side-impact crashes. Manufacturers had three years to run tests and update their seats to meet the requirements.
The new standard, called Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213a, states that all harnessed car seats carrying children under 40 pounds must hold up in a 30 mph side-impact collision test. New dummies, reflecting the sizes of a 12-month-old, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, are being used for compliance testing.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
