Panel Discussion: Achieving a Breakthrough – Affordable Car Seats for Low-& Middle-Income Nations

1. Panel Discussion: Achieving a Breakthrough – Affordable
Car Seats for Low-& Middle-Income Nations
Introduction by
David Ward
Secretary General,
Global New Car Assessment Programme Washington D.C. - Friday 12 December 2014

2. Global NCAP For Safer Cars…Worldwide
The first NCAP was launched in 1978
by the US National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
NCAPs promote a ‘market for safety’
by raising awareness of the car buying
public, and rewarding manufacturers
that build the safest cars.
There are now nine NCAPs active in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the USA.
In 2011 Global NCAP was launched as a UK registered charity which aims to:
• offer support to New Car Assessment Programmes in emerging economies and regions
by offering technical support guidance and quality assurance.
• provide a platform for cooperation for NCAPs and like organisations around the world to
share best practice, and exchange information.
• support the UN Decade of Action 2011-2020 and implementation of the Global Plan for
the Decade especially its motor vehicle pillar.

3. Child Restraints: Proven Life Savers
During a 30-mph crash, an unrestrained child will hit the
dashboard or windshield with a force equal to that of a
fall from a three-story building.
Child restraints are proven life savers. In reducing the
likelihood of death and serious injury:
• Rear-facing child restraints are 71% effective
• Forward-facing child restraints are 54% effective.
• Booster seats reduce risk of fatal injury for children by
55–67% (aged 4–8 years).*
But the full benefits of CRSs are not being realised even in
high income countries and their use is very weak in low
and middle income countries. There are a number of
major challenges that need to be tackled.
*(Kahane CJ NHTSA February 1986 & Morgan C NHTSA 1999).

4. Challenges: Lack of Regulatory Harmonisation
Production and sales of new passenger cars
has soared in middle income countries. But
these rapidly motoring nations do not yet
adequately apply the UN regulatory
standards (or equivalents) that are widely
used in high income countries.
In 2013 from a total of 65 million new cars
some 20 million probably would fail to pass
minimum UN crash test standards, have no
air bags, and no electronic stability control
(ESC).
To few countries apply UN regulation 14
(seat belt anchorages + ISOFIX), regulation
94 & 95 (frontal and side impact) or 44
(child restraints).

5. Challenges: Misuse of Child Restraints.
Children are frequently restrained in a seat that is
wrong for its age or weight or the straps or
harnesses may be inadequately secured. An EU
study in 2011 found that the average rate of
misuse was about 65%. (CASPER)
The study revealed that the main problem is
the correct belt path of the vehicle seat belt and
general installation of the child seat in the vehicle.
These could be reduced by the use of ISOFIX/Latch but
market penetration of the system is still too low.
Parents need to understand why use of an appropriate
CRS, its installation, and the seatbelt route for booster
seats, are essential to keep their kids safe. Training for
parents and also for police in support of enforcement is
a necessity.

6. Challenges: Counterfeit products and false labelling
Around the world there is a growing problem of
counterfeit child seats. In 2012 the TRL in the UK
showed an example of a CRS failing the R44 test:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxXAk7t0IfI.
The FIA Foundation in 2009 exposed an example
of false labelling of a CRS sold in Latin America by
Infanti. An Infanti CRS was being sold in Argentina
bearing UNECE approval marks apparently issued
in Germany. In fact the approval numbers had not
been issued and independent tests of the seat
showed that it failed the R44 test.
The FIA Foundation referred this example to the
UN World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle
Regulations (WP29). However, the UN has very
limited scope to take follow up action against false
labelling.

7. Challenges: Affordability
Cost is a significant barrier to CRS use especially in
low and middle income countries.
In 2004 a study of affordability of child safety devices
compared the hours of work required to obtain a
child seat in 18 countries*. It found that it took 16
hours more work in a lower income country than a
high income one to buy a CRS.
Much needs to be done to tackle costs. This needs a
combination of regulatory push and demand pull:
• Application of CRS standards with enforcement
• Regulatory harmonisation with UN standards
• Removal of tariffs & other barriers to CRS trade
• Fiscal and insurance incentives
• Loan clubs and subsidies
• Consumer information and education campaigns
*D Hendrie et al – Injury Prevention /BMJ 2004

8. Opportunities: New ‘iSize’ UN CRS Regulation 129
Seats approved under UN Reg 129 offer enhanced safety
features, including a new sizing system (i-Size). Reg 44
will be slowly phased out. Key features of iSize are:
Enhanced protection from side impact
Unlike Reg 44 the new Reg 199 regulation will include side impact
testing while ensuring the child’s head stays in the head rest.
Advanced technology
The tests will use a new ‘Q series’ generation of child dummies,
known as the Q series. These measure acceleration of the chest,
neck and head. Reg 44 only measures chest acceleration.
New classification
The new i-Size sizing system for child seats is based on a child’s
height and weight, and is much more accurate than the previous
system.

9. Opportunities: NCAPs Promoting 5 Star Safety For Kids
NCAPs assess CRS as part of their rating
systems and strongly promote their use. See:
http://www.safercar.gov/parents/Car-Seat-
Safety.htm
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/child-safety/
topicoverview
The recently formed NCAPs in the ASEAN and
Latin American regions reveal the need for
improvements in CRS standards worldwide.
Both are also achieving progress. Results are
improving as ISOFISX is used more widely.
ASEAN and Latin NCAP have just released their
first 5 star results for child protection, The
Nissan Teena and the VW Golf obtained the
coveted five star rating with ISOFIX systems
standard.

10. Talking Points:
A major global initiative is needed to increase the
market for child restraint systems in cars. Policies of
regulatory push and demand pull are required to
promote CRS use worldwide,
This would bring economies of scale that will help to
reduce unit costs. It would encourage standardisation,
simplification, and further innovation by CRS suppliers
and car makers.
“In the medium and long term, the number of children
killed or injured in cars should be considerably reduced if
both communication/education and improvement of
systems are conducted in parallel, so parents will learn
what is important to do while the CRS and car
manufacturers will improve their restraint systems
quality and compatibility”. (EU - CASPER project conclusions)
Thank You