Consumer report recalls car seat study!

Consumer Reports recalls car seat study
Non-profit group retracts study after government finds problem with
standards used; will issue new report.
By Christian Zappone, CNNMoney.com staff writer
POSTED: 3:28 p.m. EST, January 18, 2007

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer Reports, the consumer product
testing magazine, announced Thursday that is withdrawing a recent
report on rear-facing infant car-seats.

That report alleged that several infant car seats failed crash tests
performed using tougher standards than tests used by the federal
government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The initial report was released in January 5 and was reported on
CNNMoney that day. (Read the original story.)

Consumer Reports made the announcement after receiving information
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from NHTSA that raised questions
about whether tests conducted by the non-profit group accurately
simulated the conditions they were supposed to.

"Our initial review of the Consumer Reports testing procedures
showed a significant error in the manner in which it conducted and
reported on its side-impact tests," said NHTSA Administrator Nicole
Nason in a statement posted on the agency's Website.

"The organization' s data show its side-impact tests were actually
conducted under conditions that would represent being struck in
excess of 70 mph, twice as fast as the group claimed," said Nason.

"When NHTSA tested the same child seats in conditions representing
the 38.5 mph conditions claimed by Consumer Reports, the seats
stayed in their bases as they should, instead of failing
dramatically, " she said.

Consumer Reports crash-tested 12 infant-seat brands, including
models made by Evenflo, Graco and Baby Trend, and found that 10
didn't provide adequate protection.

The car seats have already passed federal government crash tests,
which are conducted from the front at 30 miles per hour.

Consumer Reports said it will publish a new report with "any
necessary revisions" as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Consumer Reports urges motorists to remember any
child seat is better than no child seat and to suspend judgment on
the merits of individual brands until the new report is released.