Teresa Hammer

From Convenience to Safety: The History of Car Seats

By: Teresa Hammer

One of the first steps in preparing for the birth of a child nowadays is buying a car seat so you can take them home from the hospital safely. Although this seems like second nature to us currently, car seats weren’t invented until the mid 1900s. They were first invented to be used as a booster seat for viewing out the window as well as restraining children to stay in one place during a car ride. However, with the invention of the seat belt and increased awareness of automobile safety, car seats have become more prominent. As people became more concerned with child safety, there was a push for laws and regulations to require car seats in every car.

Before the car seat started to develop, there were options that kept the child out of the mothers’ hands if they were driving. For example, the 1925 “Gordon Motor Crib” was a bassinet that was advertised to comfort the baby while providing the mother with pleasure of not having to hold the baby (1). This means that the alternative used at the time was the mother just holding the child. As seen in the advertisement, it was called the “safest way” by doctors as it would absorb the shock that babies would receive if they were held. It was convenient since it was easily removable, takes up no useful space, and folds flat. It was seen as a small investment that would be made for your baby. There were also other options, including a “lull-a-baby car hammock.” It was advertised as allowing the baby to be constantly visible while not affecting rear-view vision, and being the safest, most comfortable car bed ever made.

Both figures: Ronnie Schreiber, “Automotive History Archives,” Hagerty Media, March 30, 2022, https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history.

The first form of a car seat that somewhat resembles current car seats was produced in 1933 by Bunny Bear Company (2). This seat was metal with a lap belt that could be folded up. However, there was no way to secure it in place to the car. The purpose of this seat was to prop backseat riders up so parents could keep an eye on them and for the kids to have a better view out of the windshield. Some of these seats had a play steering wheel attached to occupy the children while on a drive. While the safety of children wasn’t advertised, the safety of the material used in this seat was. The ads talked about it being made of Presdwood, which decreases the chance of getting slivers or splinters. This was the design that was mostly resembled until the 1960s.

Both figures: “Child Car Seat History - in Pictures,” phil&teds US, July 11, 2017, https://us.philandteds.com/blogs/news/car-seat-history-in-pictures.

Starting in the 1960s, people started to be more concerned about overall automobile safety. In 1956, Ford started offering seat belts, which led to a shift in safety concerns. Jean Ames is credited for being the first person to suggest safety seats specifically for children. Her initial design was a “rear-facing child seat with a three-point Y-belt for restraint” (3). Later, she patented a 5-strap safety harness made from nylon to reduce harm and it had a pin with a quick release buckle (4). This car seat was known as the “Jeenay”, named after Jean Ames. It was the first seat to be advertised for safety, focusing on protecting young lives.  

While some may believe that the increased development of car seats was driven by market demand, the increase in research into child safety led to a need for designing proper car seats. Bertil Aldman was one of the many people who wrote papers about the need for small children needing support during automobile drives, especially during turning and braking and to protect them during collisions. His reasoning for this was the proportions between children’s head and neck are unfavorable for seat belts which don't support the head during forward deceleration (5). Moreover, Aldman believed that the car seat should be facing rearwards in the front seat of the car. Being in the front seat was purely so the child could see and interact with the other people in the car. Facing backwards would make sure a child’s neck wouldn’t bend forward during an accident as the force would spread evenly across the back and spine (6). In later research, this has also been proven to protect us from side impacts. However, people feared that this would cause motion sickness, so they were hesitant at first. Aldman also believed that this protection and seating is necessary for children from the ages of eight months to six or seven years of age. After this age, they were able to use only an adult restraint, such as a seat belt. 

Individual inventors started developing these car seats designed for safety, but there wasn’t a lot available. Since it wasn’t believed to be a necessity for too long, many people opted not to use car seats.  In 1973, highway accidents were the leading cause of child deaths in the United States, killing over 6,000 children from the ages of 1-14 years (7). In the late 1900s, people began completing studies that looked at different child restraint systems as well as ways to influence parents to use them. In a study done at Madigan General Hospital in Washington State in 1970, researchers found that 62% of respondents used no child restraint or one that was clearly unsafe (8). At that time, only two seat belts were required to register your automobile and child restraint systems were not required. To try and combat this, researchers displayed samples of safe car seats in the waiting room for the well clinic. The two most popular yet safe car seats at the time were the General Motors Infant Carrier for infants from birth to 12 months (around 20lbs) and the Ford Tot-guard for infants and children from 20lbs to 40lbs (9). However, the Ford Tot-guard was only available through Ford dealers and was produced in limited quantities. These researchers also provided parents with pamphlets that included instructions on how to use these seats as well as information that countered popular misconceptions about car seats and child safety in automobiles. 

In a study completed in 1981, researchers looked at how parents should approach introducing the car seat to their children. At the time, many parents did not see a dire need to use car seats for their safety needs, so this study focused on behavioral issues. Mothers took part in a clinic visit where they had to introduce the car seat to their child calmly and remind them of the rules for behaving nicely during a car ride. Observers were sitting in on these short car rides where mothers were told to praise the child for good behavior and if they began to climb out of the car seat or release the seat belt, they must tell them “No.” (10) There was no emphasis on safety implications, only on the child’s appropriate car behavior. Before this study, none of the participant mothers required their child to use a car seat. After the study, 62% of the mothers began to regularly require their children to use car seats and their children decreased inappropriate behavior during car rides (11). The study also suggested that the use of car seats should be introduced by pediatricians during routine checkups. 

With the increase in research done on child safety as well as the implications of parents using car seats came the introduction of child safety regulations. Tennessee was the first state to pass child passenger protection legislation. In 1977, they enacted legislation that required safety seats for children under the age of 4. Before the enactment of this legislation, only 8% of child restraints were used appropriately, but 4 months after the legislation, this rose to 16% and 3 years later it increased to 29% (12). This legislation served as a model for other states, which followed shortly after. By 1985, all states in the United States had passed similar child restraint laws (13). However, in 1987, only 80% of children used a car seat (14). The legislation implemented by the 50 states also varied in detail, which made it confusing for many. In the 1990s, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), and other professional associations, started developing child passenger safety standards and guidelines to help protect children from injuries. At that time, the federal government didn’t have direct intervention in promoting child restraint laws. However, the LATCH (lower anchors tether children) system was standardized. This allowed you to move a car seat in and out of different cars without many adjustments (15). The LATCH system was not required federally until 2003. 

By the early 2000s, people were starting to understand the positive impact car seats have on infant safety. In an article from the year 2000, researcher David Grossman stated, “infant car seats reduce the likelihood of serious injury or fatality among infants by an estimated 70%” (16). Almost half the infants and toddlers that died in car crashes during 1996 were not in car seats. Although this research was present, many were still using car seats incorrectly (or not at all) or they allowed their children to start using adult seat belts too early. In a study done in 2005, researchers tried to increase the use of automobile restaurants for children up to 5 years of age. They implemented and evaluated a community-based injury prevention program which was one of the five projects initiated in a statewide Childhood Injury Prevention Program (17). The results of this study indicated a 5-10% increase in the use of child restraints for children ages 1-5 years old. 

Along with the increased use of car seats, booster seats began to grow in popularity. Although in the very early 1900s a “booster seat” was used to raise the child so they could see out of the window, in the early 2000s, the “booster seat” meaning changed. Currently, this is a form of a car seat that is used as children get older, but before they can just use an adult seat belt. The first state to pass a law stating all children below 40 lbs. must remain in child safety restraint was California in 2002 (18). All other states followed shortly after. In the 1900s, children would go straight from a car seat to using the adult seatbelt. However, many children didn’t weigh enough or weren’t tall enough to ensure their full safety. There is now a 5-step test used to help determine when children are ready to not be in a child safety restraint anymore. As seen in Figure 8, most children need a booster up until they are 12 years old when using this step-by-step test (19). 

The increased awareness of child safety has been further seen through government intervention and collaboration with other groups. For example, there is a yearly "Child Passenger Safety Week" which holds hundreds of safety events. There are U.S. Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to check car seats, educate people about proper installation, and teach parents how to register their car seats (which is important incase their is a recall) (20). Moreover, in 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation partnered with the Ad Council to create public service ads showing the importance of securing children in car seats. They created a campaign that urges parents to protect their child’s future at every stage of their life. They state this is done by securing them in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight (21). At this time, the latest data from the U.S Department of Transportation’s National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) was that approximately 59 percent of car seats are misused (22). This is a drastic decrease compared to the 1970s, where 92% of car seats were misused. However, data from the NHTSA shows that in 2021, 46% of all child car seats are misused (23). With more information on child safety and increased campaigns, this percentage is declining over time.

While car seat designs have been through a lot of changes over the past hundred years, we are currently starting to see some similarities with earlier versions of car seats. For example, in an article published in 2022, experts tested the best child's car seats. The testing lab picked the “Chicco KeyFit 30” as the best infant car seat (24). This car seat is rear-facing and designed for infants from 4-30 pounds. The rear-facing aspect is similar to Aldman’s beliefs in the 1960s. Many states require children under 20 lbs. or one year old to be in rear-facing car seats. However, this specific car seat clicks into compatible strollers, which has been a new concept over the past few years. This feature makes the entire transportation process easier. 

Over the years, car seats and regulations for child safety have led to a decrease in infant fatalities. Since 1975, fatality rates from motor vehicle crashes have dropped “76% for children under 1 year old, 74% for children 1-3, 53% for children ages 4-8, and 48% for children ages 9-12” (25). Although fatality rates are dropping, there is still concern about child safety and an expected constant work towards safety advancement. Designers are constantly testing new ways of making car seats to create less hassle for parents, not being as heavy, all while still trying to maintain the highest level of safety. One example of this is the Volvo “Excellence Child Seat Concept.” This concept has a mobile console that replaces the front passenger seat with a motorized rear-facing infant car seat (26). The swivel, storage bin, and location provide convenience and less distraction for parents, while the rear-facing seat provides safety for infants. Although this is just an idea, it is interesting to see its familiarity with older versions, such as the rear-facing car seat in Figure 6.

Parents have become more meticulous about what car seats they choose within the last 15 years. With an abundance of research out there, parents have the opportunity to educate themselves ahead of having children to make sure they pick the safest seat. There are car seat television ads, ads on store websites, and thousands of online articles about what car seat is the best. Car seat options are ample, all with different features that draw parents to them. While people have become more concerned with child safety, pushing for regulations, car seats are still expected to change slightly to become safer as time goes on.

1. Ronnie Schreiber, “Automotive History Archives,” Hagerty Media, March 30, 2022, https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history.

2. Amie, “The General History of Car Seats: Then and Now - Safe Ride 4 Kids,”saferide4kids.com, September 2, 2021, https://saferide4kids.com/blog/the-general-history- of-car-seats/.

3. Schreiber, “Automotive History.”

4. Amie, “The General History”

5. Bertil Aldman, “A Protective Seat for Children– Experiments with a Safety Seat for Children between One and Six,” www.sae.org (Warrendale, PA, October 21, 1964), https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/640855/.

6. Schreiber, “Automotive History.”

7. R G Scherz, “Restraint Systems for the Prevention of Injury to Children in Automobile Accidents.,” American Journal of Public Health 66, no. 5 (May 1976): 451–56, https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.66.5.451.

8. Ibid

9. Ibid

10. Edward R. Christophersen and Jo-Eileen Gyulay, “Parental Compliance with Car Seat Usage: A Positive Approach with Long-Term Follow-Up,” Journal of Pediatric Psychology 6, no. 3 (1981): 301–12, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/6.3.301.

11. Ibid

12. Elliot Dakota, “Child Passenger Protection Act of 1977: How Tennessee 'Immunized’ the Automobile Epidemic,” Tennessee Historical Society, February 6, 2022, https://tennesseehistory.org/child-passenger protection-act-of-1977-how-tennessee-immunized-the-automobile-epidemic/.

13. Leonard A. Jason and Thomas Rose, “Influencing the Passage of Child Passenger Restraint Legislation,” American Journal of Community Psychology12, no. 4 (August 1984): 485–94, https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00896507.

14. Ibid

15. Amie, "The General History"

16. David C. Grossman, “The History of Injury Control and the Epidemiology of  Child and Adolescent Injuries,” The Future of Children 10, no. 1 (2000): 23, https://doi.org/10. 2307/1602824.

17. Cathy Turner et al., “Community-Based Programs to Promote Car Seat Restraints in Children 0–16 Years – a Systematic Review,” Accident Analysis & Prevention 37, no. 1 (January 2005): 77–83, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2003.12.004.

18. Michelle Pratt, “The History of Car Seats,” Safe in the Seat, March 1, 2023, https://safeintheseat.com/the-history-of-car seats/#:~:text=Booster%20Seat%20Laws%20(2002).

19. “Washington State Car Seat Laws,” WA Child Passenger Safety, accessed May 3, 2023, https://wacarseats.com.

20. “Child Passenger Safety Week | CPS Board,” National Child Passenger Safety Board, April 26, 2019, https://www.cpsboard.org/child-passenger-safety-week/.

21. MultiVu-PR Newswire, “U.S. Department of Transportation and the Ad Council Kick off Child Passenger Safety Week with Launch of New PSA Campaign,” Multivu, September 15, 2015, https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7618951-ad-council- child-passenger-safety/.

22. Ibid

23. Ibid

24. Jon Langston, “Tested: The Best Child Car Seats for 2023, as Chosen by Experts,” Car and Driver, June 8, 2022, https://www.caranddriver.com/shopping-advice/a40186843/best- child-car-seats-tested/.

25. “Fatality Facts 2019: Children,” IIHS-HLDI crash testing and highway safety, May 2022, https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/children#age-and-sex.

26. “Safety for Children | Volvo Cars,” Volvo Cars, 2014, https://www.volvocars.com/intl/v/safety/child-safety/innovations-timeline.

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