USA: New final rule amending FMVSS No. 213
USA has published a new final rule amending FMVSS No. 213 regarding child restraint systems.
This final rule amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) (Standard) No. 213, “Child restraint systems,” and adds FMVSS No. 213a, which is referenced by Standard No. 213. This final rule fulfills a statutory mandate set forth in the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21) that directed the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) to issue a final rule to improve the protection of children seated in child restraint systems during side impacts.
Front and side crashes account for most child occupant fatalities. FMVSS No. 213 currently specifies performance requirements that child restraint systems (CRSs) must meet in a sled test simulating a frontal impact. This final rule expands the standard to adopt a side impact test. Child restraints subject to this final rule must pass the new side impact test in addition to the frontal impact test.
Impacts to the side of a vehicle rank almost equal to frontal crashes as a source of occupant fatalities and serious injuries to children ages 0 to 12 years. Side impacts are especially dangerous when the impact is on the passenger compartment because, unlike a frontal or rear-end crash, there are no substantial, energy absorbing structures between the occupant and the impacting vehicle or object. The door collapses into the passenger compartment and the occupants contact the door relatively quickly after the crash at a high relative velocity.
The full text of the measure is available HERE.