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What is LATCH When it Comes to Car Seats?

Car safety seats can be installed with either the vehicle's seat belt or the patented LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system. LATCH is an attachment system that was developed for car safety seats.

At All Foreign And Domestic Body Shop in Stockton, CA we often stress safety in all of our blogs, because it’s a role we feel body shops should play.

Lower anchors can be used instead of seat belts to install the seat, and many parents find them much easier to use in some vehicles. The top tether enhances safety provided by the seat and is essential to use for all forward-facing seats, even those that are installed using the car's seat belt.

Even though the seat belt and LATCH systems are both equally safe, caregivers may choose one system instead of the other. Always keep in mind that only one system should be used unless the car safety seat and the carmaker say that it's OK to use two systems at the same simultaneously. Cars with the LATCH system have lower anchors that are located in the back seat where the seat cushions customarily meet.

Tether anchors are usually located directly behind the seat, either on the panel right behind the seat (in sedans) or on the back part of the seat, ceiling or vehicle's floor (in the majority of minivans, SUVs, hatchbacks, and light-duty pickup trucks).

All forward-facing vehicle safety seats have a series of tether attachments that will fasten to this series of anchors. Nearly all passenger vehicles and all car safety seat systems made within the last 17 years are fully equipped to use LATCH.

All LATCH lower anchors are rated for a maximum weight of 65 lbs. (total weight that includes both the car safety seat and child).

Please Note: If you install any car safety seat using your auto's seat belt, you must make certain the seat belt locks to help get a snug fit. In most newer vehicles, you can lock the seat belt by simply pulling it all the way out and then enabling it to retract in order to keep the seat belt tight around the car seat. Additionally, many car seats are accompanied with built-in lock-offs to lock the belt without having to lock the seat belt separately. In every case, refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for details about how your seat belt locks and always ask for LATCH for added safety and reliablity.

All Foreign And Domestic Body Shop in Stockton, CA 95212 

Sources: USNews.com and NHTSA