Parents purchasing a new car seat in the next year will want to be aware of an important safety update: Starting Dec. 5, 2026, all car seats sold in the U.S. must meet new federal safety standards aimed at improving protection during side-impact collisions.
The regulation, issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is a major move toward reducing child fatalities and injuries in what experts consider one of the most dangerous types of crashes.
Side-impact collisions can be particularly deadly for children because there is less space and structure between them and the point of impact, the NHTSA said.
While frontal crashes remain the most common, the NHTSA noted that side impacts cause nearly as many fatalities and serious injuries for children under 12.
It wasn’t until years of research, including the development of a specialized side-impact crash dummy and test, that the agency was able to introduce a new rule based on real-world risk.
The updated regulation adds a new sled test for child seats simulating a 30 mph side-impact crash involving two vehicles.
The rule applies to child seats designed for children weighing under 40 pounds.
Although the new side-impact safety standard was originally set to take effect on June 30, the NHTSA has extended the compliance deadline to Dec. 5, 2026.
According to the agency, many large manufacturers are already meeting the updated requirements, but smaller manufacturers raised concerns about limited access to testing facilities and equipment. To help ensure continued availability of child restraint systems while the industry adjusts, NHTSA is allowing more time for full compliance.
If you already own a car seat, there’s no need to replace it, as long as it hasn’t expired, is correctly installed and has not been recalled.