Interpretation ID: nht94-6.46
DATE: April 8, 1994
FROM: John Womack -- Acting Chief Counsel, NHTSA
TO: Derrick Barker -- John Martin Designs (Stourbridge, West Midlands)
TITLE: None
ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 12/22/93 from Derrick Barker to Mary Versilles (Versailles)
TEXT:
This responds to your letter concerning the buckle release requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraint Systems." I apologize for the delay in responding.
You asked for the "tensile load requirements for the buckle and tongue." There is no specific requirement in Standard 213 for the tensile force that a child restraint buckle must withstand. Instead, the buckle must maintain its integrity when the child restraint is subjected to a simulated frontal impact at 30 mph with either a six-month-old (17 pounds (lbs.)) or three-year-old (33 lbs.) sized dummy restrained in the car seat. At the conclusion of the simulated impact, the force required to depress the latch button to release the buckle is measured and must be 16 lbs. or less.
You also asked for a copy of Procedure D of the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard D756-78. Section S5.4.2 of FMVSS No. 213 sets forth those requirements by making reference to section S4.3(b) of FMVSS No. 209. which, in turn, leads to the reference to Procedure D of ASTM D756-78. The material you requested is enclosed.
In addition, you asked for a list of laboratories that test child safety seats and buckles. NHTSA does not endorse particular test laboratories. However, I can provide you with a list of laboratories we are aware of that conduct child restraint compliance tests. There may be other laboratories that can test child safety seats and buckles.
Please contact Ms. Deirdre Fujita of my staff if you have further questions.
LABORATORIES CONDUCTING CHILD RESTRAINT COMPLIANCE TESTS (Partial List - Addresses current as of Dec. 1993)
CALSPAN CORPORATION (CAL) 4455 Genesee St. Buffalo, NY 14225 Phone: 716-632-7500 FAX: 716-631-6843
COMMERCIAL TESTING CO. (CTC) (Flammability testing) 1215 S. Hamilton Street Dalton, GA 30722-0985 Phone: 404-278-3935 FAX: 404-278-3936
DETROIT TESTING LABORATORY, INC (DTL) 7111 E. Eleven Mile Road Warren, Mi 48092-0869 Phone: 313-754-9000 FAX: 313-754-9045
MGA RESEARCH CORPORATION (MGA) 12790 Main Road P.O. Box 71 Akron, NY 14001-0071 Phone: 716-542-5515 FAX: 716-542-4437
MGA PROVING GROUNDS 5000 Warren Road Burlington, WI 53105 Phone: 414-763-2705 FAX: 414-763-0934
MOBILITY SYSTEMS & EQUIP. CO. (MSE) 19867 Cajon Blvd San Bernadino, CA 92407 Phone: 909-887-1938 FAX: 909-887-5937
MOBILITY SYSTEMS & EQUIP. CO. (MAIN OFFICE) 9920 LaCienega Blvd., Suite 708 Inglewood, CA 90301 Phone: 310-641-3606 FAX: 310-641 -1930
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER OF OHIO (TRC) 10820 State Route 347 P.O. Box B67 East Liberty, OH 43319 Phone: 513-666-2011 FAX: 513-666-5066
UNITED STATES TESTING CO. (UST) - (Flammability testing) Engineering Services Division 291 Fairfield Avenue Fairfield, NJ 07004 Phone: 201-575-5252 FAX: 201-575-8271
UNITED STATES TESTING CO. (MAIN OFFICE) 1415 Park Avenue Hoboken, NJ 07030 Phone: 201-792-2400 FAX: 201-656-0636
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (UMTRI) 2901 Baxter Road Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2150 Phone: 313-936-1103