If you're researching car seats do NOT buy the Diono Radian. The NHTSA passed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking a year ago that will outlaw most of their product line, possibly even the RXT. The government estimates that by eliminating car seats like this with poor side impact protection, they will save 6 lives per year.
Here's the video of the Radian 65, which was the worst performer in the proposed side impact test, with a very high risk of concussion and possible death.
http://youtu.be/ZnyfZZogVbI
Now, to be fair, this was based on the intrusion profiles of a Nissan Sentra and Nissan Versa, and the NHTSA found that the most effective way to improve car seat performance was to put the car seat in a taller, heavier SUV. In fact, the difference in concussion risk was greater between car and SUV than between the best (Britax Advocate) and worst (Diono Radian) car seats. In other words, driving a 2000+ Land Cruiser is more important than getting the best car seat.
But if you are in fact looking to research car seats, there are two sets of published crash test data. The forward collision crash tests from 2010 and the proposed side impact crash test.
- www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/rulemaking/pdf/213-nprm-side_impact.pdf
For older kids, I would look at the Britax Advocate, the Clek Foonf, the Clek Fllo (if money is tight and you can't swing the Foonf), and the Safety 1st Air Protect +.
The Britax did good in the frontal test and very good in the side impact test. It supports rear-facing tether, which protects the child in a rear-end collision. However, it's a very wide car seat.
Clek Foonf did very good in the frontal test, but was not tested by the NHTSA in the side impact test. They do have videos online of side impact testing, which their lead customer sales rep claims the videos on their website demonstrate the Clek using the Takata procedure that the NHTSA used. It has a European style anti-rebound bar to protect in rear-end collisions. It's also very narrow, and fits next to the Chicco Keyfit.
The Safety 1st Air Protect+ does not have published test results for either the forward crash test or the side impact test, but different predecessors did well in both. The biggest issue in the side impact was the excessive seat flex with their first design, which they've fixed with a rigid frame bar in the current model, similar to the Clek. It's also very wide.
Some of these are more expensive, but it's a one time cost, and a very good way to improve safety.
We're running a Chicco Keyfit in the middle with a Clek Foonf on the drivers side. With baby number 3, we may do 3 across, or to load up the kids with the doors locked we may put the Foonf in the 3rd row left seat and keep two car seats in the middle row with the middle row passenger side seat up or removed.
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