Engineers will have to solve many problems before developing a meaningful side-impact crash standard for car seats. Aside from the problem of intrusion, there is no U.S.-approved child-sized side-impact test dummy, and other technical challenges remain. NHTSA is working on setting such standards following a request from Congress.

In the meantime, the key advice is that any car seat is better than no seat, and caregivers who want help installing one can find free advice from car-seat resource organizations.

As for Consumer Reports, we have completed new 30-mph front-impact tests and are reviewing our ease-of-use findings; when fully vetted, the combined results will be posted. Jim Guest, president of Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, is also announcing several policy changes, including conferring with outside experts when developing complex tests, disclosing when we use outside labs, and redoubling scrutiny when our findings are unusual (see Learning from our mistake).

“We made a mistake and we’re facing up to it,” Guest says. “But our goal remains to raise the bar so that child seats become even safer. CU will work with leading experts to develop more-realistic crash simulations, improve usability,and remind parents to keep children safely restrained.”