Infant Car Seat Testing from Consumer Reports

Earlier in the day it was brought to my attention that the results of some extensive crash testing done by Consumer Reports was featured on the Today Show. I didn’t get to watch the show, but the information was very eye-opening, and important for parents and parents-to-be to know about and take into consideration. By current federal standards, an infant car seat is considered safe if it can withstand a crash of up to 30mph. Consumer Reports conducted tests at speeds of 35 and 38mph, and the results were surprising. Only 2 of the car seats successfully passed the tests: the Graco Snugride V3 with EPS foam, and the Baby Trend Flex-Loc. To read the full article from Consumer Reports, click here.

Several infant car seat models, including the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP, Compass I410, Chicco KeyFit, and Evenflo Embrace, passed the tests when they were installed with the vehicle’s safety belt, but not when they were installed using the LATCH system. If you currently own one of these 4 car seat models, be sure that it is installed using the safety belt, and that it fits tightly on the seat of your car. We recommend getting the car seat inspected by a certified technician to ensure that it is installed properly.

At Magic Beans, safety is our utmost priority when it comes to car seats and booster seats. We are currently in the process of getting in touch with Graco and Britax to determine what the options are for parents who have purchased Britax Companions or Graco Safeseats from us and are concerned by the information released by Consumer Reports. If you have purchased one of these car seats from Magic Beans and would like us to contact you when we have more information, please feel free to e-mail us at info@mbeans.com. Be sure to include your name, telephone number, car seat make/model, and approximate date of purchase. We will also post new information as soon as it becomes available.

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