According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59 percent of child safety seats are installed incorrectly. Let’s say that another way, to make sure the point gets home. According to the U.S. government’s auto safety watchdog, your child’s car seat is probably installed wrong.
Toyota is aware of the problem. As the builder of one of the world’s most popular minivans, Toyota is also aware that a lot of children are riding in Toyota Siennas. So the automaker has developed an app that will help parents properly install child safety seats in their Sienna minivans.
At the moment, the free Toyota for Families app and associated website work only for the Sienna, but Toyota plans to extend it to all its vehicles soon. Users can simply select their vehicle (or input their VIN so the app can select it for them), the location where they’d like to install the seat, and the type of seat they have. The app shows a custom video and written step-by-step instructions on how to install the seat into that specific position.
Developed by Toyota Engineers Who Are Moms
The idea came from a pair of Toyota engineers who are also moms. Lindsay Babian is principal engineer of body design for seats, while Jennifer Pelky works as principal engineer of vehicle performance development for interior safety.
Babian explains, “I designed the parts for securely attaching a car seat myself.”
Even with that experience, she had problems installing child car seats in different types of vehicles. “When [Pelky] approached me with this,” she says, “I saw the need for a solution. Now, parents, caregivers, and grandparents who find it a challenge will have a tool to help them succeed.”
If you don’t drive a Toyota, it’s still possible to get help with child safety seat installation. Many fire departments and local sheriff’s offices offer free demonstrations on the process.
