
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995                   TAG: 9507270053
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: YONKERS, N.Y.                                LENGTH: Medium

CRASH TESTS QUESTION SAFETY OF 3 CHILD SEATS

Three child-safety seat models failed to live up to their names in test car crashes, Consumers Union warned Wednesday.

``At the moment of truth, they simply did not do their jobs,'' the independent testing organization's technical director, R. David Pittle, said at a news conference.

Two of the manufacturers disputed the results; a third had already recalled its model. Pittle urged the other two companies to recall the seats in question, and he asked federal regulators to impose more stringent testing standards.

Even though all states now require infants and small children to ride in government-approved safety seats, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about 700 children die and at least 60,000 are injured in car crashes each year.

Consumers Union tested 25 models and rated 22 of them as safe but will give ``not acceptable'' ratings in the September 1995 Consumer Reports to:

The Century 590 infant seat when used with its detachable base. In a simulated 30 mph crash with a 20-pound dummy - the size of a typical 9-month-old child - it tore loose from the base, according to videotape of one of the tests. When used without the base - lashed directly to a seat belt - the Century 590 worked fine, Pittle said. He also noted that other Century models were the highest-rated in each category Consumers Union tested.

The Kolcraft Traveler 700 convertible seat when facing forward. A front restraining bar broke in a 30 mph crash and a 33-pound dummy - the size of a typical 3-year-old - flew entirely out of the seat, according to the video. The seat was adequate when facing the rear, Pittle said.

The Evenflo On My Way 206 infant seat when used without its base. The seat ripped partially free from the seat belt when one belt loop broke in a test crash, battering a 20-pound dummy. With the base, the seat was safe, Pittle said.

Based on its own tests, Evenflo recalled the seat several weeks ago. The recall affects models made from May 7, 1994, through May 31, 1995; Evenflo is providing repair kits for those models, which Pittle said Consumers Union would test.

Century Products Co. President Frank Rumpeltin said that the new data are ``completely contrary'' to tests the company has conducted in at least four independent laboratories - including the same facility Consumers Union used.

Rumpeltin said Century has sold more than 2 million of the Model 590 and received no reports of failures like those Consumers Union found.Kolcraft also is investigating the Consumers Union report, which contradicts the company's own repeated tests, spokeswoman Sue Novak said.

by CNB