When I heard about Consumer Reports retracting their report about child car seats I was more than a little relieved. I had seen the footage of those crash tests. I remember I just stared dumbfounded at the TV while I watched a car seat, that looked similar to the one we (until recently) put our daughter in, as it basically gets thrown around like a rag doll during the crash. It was frightening. The report I heard on ABC last night said that while the original report claimed those side impact tests had been done at a speed of 35mph – it turns out the independent contractor they used may have been testing at a speed of 70 – 80mph. Big difference.
I have to say it was only after becoming a parent that I started to truly understand what it meant to be clueless. As such, neither my husband or I am afraid to ask for advice. We’ve relied on Consumer Reports for car seat information as well as other major purchases. We value the fact that they aren’t affiliated with anything that might sway their judgment. Now that I have a child I value that opinion even more. We are bombarded by so much marketing that tells us we need to buy this or that to keep our kid safe. It’s tough to sort through it all. As parents, we need unbiased resources like Consumer Reports more than ever. So to them I say – Shape up and get back to work!