New child safety seat standards are coming to the US — here’s what you need to know

Updated federal car seat safety standards take effect soon, bringing new crash-testing requirements for newly made seats – though parents shouldn’t have to ditch their current model.

Starting December 5, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require manufacturers to meet new side-impact protection rules and updated frontal-crash testing requirements. The changes are meant to better protect children in car wrecks, but parents won’t need to replace their current car seats.

One major change involves Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213a, which requires manufacturers to test how well covered car seats protect children in side-impact crashes, including T-bone collisions. The tests use a simulated vehicle seat and door to see how well a car seat protects a child.

The rule generally covers car seats designed for children weighing up to 40 pounds or measuring up to 43 inches tall. Some products, including car beds, harness-only restraints and certain school bus car seats, are exempt.

The side-impact standard was introduced in 2022, but manufacturers were given additional time to meet the requirements.

A second update, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213b, will also take effect December 5. It revises frontal-crash testing to better reflect the back seats of modern vehicles. Most restraints will be tested using a simulated lap-and-shoulder seat belt, replacing the lap belt used in many older tests.

Despite the changes, parents can continue using their current car seats as long as they have not expired or been recalled, fit their child’s height and weight, and are properly installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Those shopping for a new seat should check its manufacturing date, as a car seat purchased after December 5 may have been manufactured before the new requirements became mandatory. Some manufacturers may also meet the updated standards ahead of the deadline. Consumers can contact the manufacturer to confirm whether a particular model complies.

The changes also affect the weight guidelines manufacturers must list on forward-facing car seats and booster seats. Labels must specify a minimum weight of at least 26.5 pounds for forward-facing seats and 40 pounds for boosters. That doesn’t mean children should move into a forward-facing seat or booster as soon as they hit those numbers.

NHTSA recommends keeping children in their current car seat for as long as they fit within its height and weight limits.

When it’s time to move to the next stage, parents should check the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure their child is ready.