Car seats with load leg can offer extra protection: Consumer Reports

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Car seat technology has improved dramatically since it was first introduced decades ago, but there is one innovation that parents should look out for when shopping.

Car seats were first designed in 1968. They have come a long way since then and Consumer Reports says its testing shows one safety innovation that could significantly cut the risk of head injuries.

With a 1-year-old and another one on the way, Natalie Gershtein's top priority when looking for just about any product - but especially a car seat - is safety.

"Baby stuff is always innovating and changing at a miraculous rate. So, they're always coming out with new and better," she said.

One innovation are load legs. Load legs are a feature originally from Europe that gives car seats extra support by extending a "leg" from the car seat base to the car floor.

"It allows for crash forces to be absorbed more so by the car seat and load leg, and less crash energy to be transferred to your child occupant," said Emily Thomas, Ph.D., of Consumer Reports.

CR's crash testing shows the added safety benefit of a load leg as it limits both the car seat and the child's motion.

"We found that when using infant-sized dummies that there was an average 46% reduction in head injury risk for seats that have a load leg versus those that don't have a load leg," said Thomas.

Before shopping for a seat with a load leg, do check your car's manual for compatibility.

Also, be aware a load leg isn't enough on its own to ensure the highest margin of safety. CR saw the greatest benefit when the car seat was installed with both the load leg and lower anchors.

You can expect to pay more for car seats with load legs but one reasonable option that CR recommends is the Evenflo LiteMax DLX, which scored "best" for crash protection. It costs $170.