The Fascinating History of the Car Seat
It’s easy to take modern-day car seats for granted. But 21st-century car seats are definitely an innovation that deserves to be celebrated. Here’s a brief overview of how car seats have evolved over the years.
Elevated Drives: Tips for driving safely on Colorado’s mountain roads
The first car seats
Early car seats were designed more for the sake of elevating young riders so they could see out of the vehicle’s window, rather than to keep them totally secure and safe during the ride. The first car seat as we know it dates back to 1933, as What to Expect confirms. That’s when Bunny Bear Company started manufacturing booster seats for child passengers. It was marketed as a convenient way for parents to keep an eye on their little ones in the backseat.
Car seats evolve
In the 1940s, car seats continued to have this same focus, as What to Expect shares. To this end, companies started producing car seats that fastened to a car’s front seats. These designs had metal frames and a canvas seat and enabled children to face forward so they could look out the front windshield at the road ahead.
Starting in the 60s, the industry started prioritizing safety in car seat designs, as Safe Ride 4 Kids reports. In the U.S., Len Rivkin introduced a metal-framed seat with a buckle. Around the same time, Jean Ames debuted a rear-facing seat with a Y-strap harness to English drivers. Toward the end of the decade, GM developed its first car seat, the Love Seat, while Ford introduced a similar product.
The 70s introduced federal safety standards for car seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration introduced FMVSS213 in 1971. Then 8 years later, Tennessee became the first state to pass car seat legislation. Per Safe Ride 4 Kids, it took until 1985 until all of the States implemented these laws.
Contemporary car seats
Today, car seats are safer than ever thanks to advanced technology and strict federal safety standards. And vehicles must come with a LATCH system for securing car seats, according to What to Expect. Some automakers, such as GM, have Rear Seat Reminder features that go one step further at protecting child passengers.
Learn about a handy new app that reminds parents of young children to check the back seat when arriving at their destination. Then read up on how to sanitize your child’s car seat.
Confidence Boost: Discover the advantages of OnStar technology
Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.