WASHINGTON — Child car seats would for the first time have to protect children from death and injury in side-impact crashes under regulations the government proposed Wednesday.
The proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would upgrade standards for child seats for children weighing up to 40 pounds to include a new test that simulates a side crash. The agency estimates the standards will prevent the deaths of about five children and injuries to 64 others each year.
Congress and safety advocates have long urged NHTSA to adopt tougher standards for car seats to protect against side-impact crashes. Tired of waiting, Congress passed a transportation law in 2012 requiring that the agency issue new regulations by later this year.
