The LATCH System

Parents in the United States frequently have problems anchoring their child safety seats, or car seats, into the backseat of their car using just the seatbelts. According to some estimates, up to 80% of car seats are not installed correctly. In an effort to curb this, the LATCH System was created.

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It is a special way of securing a child safety seat without using seatbelts. This makes securing a safety seat much easier. The system is designed to simplify car seat installation and, as a result, to reduce the number of children injured and killed during car accidents as a result of improperly installed safety seats.

The LATCH System is required on all vehicles which are manufactured for sale in the United States after September 1, 2002. Manufacturers are required, except on convertibles, to install top tether anchors behind the rear seat of all models. These anchors must be present in at least three seating positions. In addition, the manufacturer must install lower vehicle anchor points near where the vehicle’s backseat cushion and seatback meet. These anchors must be present in at least two seating positions.

In addition to imposing requirements on the car manufacturers, the child seat makers are required to have two lower connectors at the bottom of the safety seat. Forward-facing safety seats are required to have top tether straps that attach to the vehicle’s top tether anchors.

If your child has been injured due to a faulty child safety seat, please contact the Lake Geneva defective product lawyers of Habush, Habush, & Rottier at 1-800-275-1729 to discuss your case and to determine your legal options.