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LATCH system (Lower
anchorages and tethers
for children)
Child Restraint System anchors and how
are they related to child safety
To provide a s impler and more pract icable way to
attach the child restraint on the vehicle seat, Fed
e ral regulations requi re specia l lower anchorages
i n veh icles and devices on new child restrain ts to
attach to the vehicle anchorages.
The combination of the tether anchorages and
the lower anchorages is now generally called the
L A TCH system for " Lower Anchorages and
Tethers for Children ."
F orward-facing child restrain ts manufactured af
ter September 1, 1999, are requi red by U.S. fed
eral regu lations to comply with new child head
movement per formance requirements . These
new performance requirements make a tether
necessary on most new chi ld seats.
I nstall ing a chi ld restraint that requ ires a top
tether witho ut one can serio usly impair the per
formance of the chi ld restraint and its ability to
protect the child in a coll is ion. Insta lling a child
restra int that requires a top tether without the
top tether may be a violation of state law.
Child restraint manufact urers offer LATCH lower
anchorages on their child seats with hook-on or
push-on connectors attached to adjustable
s t raps .
In add ition to the LATCH lower anchorages , these
child restraint systems usua lly require the use of
tether straps to help keep the child restraint
f irmly in place .
A WARNING
Improper installation of chi ld restraints will
increase the risk of in ju ry and death in a crash.
- Always follow the instructions prov ided by
the manufacturer of the child restra int you
intend to install i n your veh icle.
- Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the
Chil d sa fe ty
child restraint manufacturer's instructions
require the top tether strap to be used.
- Improper use of child rest raint LATCH lower
anchorage points can lead to injury in a co lli
sion . The LATCH lower anchorage points are
des igned to w ithstand only those loads im
posed by correctly fitted child restraints .
- Never mount two child restra int systems on
one LATCH lower anchorage po int .
- Never secure or attac h any luggage or other
item to the LATCH lower anchorages.
(D Tips
In Canada, the terms "top tether" with "lower
universa l anchorages" (or " lower universal an
chorage bars") are used to describe the sys
tem.
- In other countries, the term "ISOFIX" is used to describe the lower anchorages.
Location
Fig. 14 6 Schem at ic overv iew: LATCH a nch orage poin t loca
tio ns
T he ill ustrat ion shows the seat ing locations in
you r vehicle which are equipped with the lowe r
an chorages system.
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