Car seat safety has come a long way, and the proper use of restraints has an incredible impact on the outcome of any potential collision. The key word, however, is proper.
Studies have indicated varying numbers with regard to correct use, with one CDC study citing that, when excluding booster seats, misuse estimates stand at 59%. This is an astonishing number, though anyone who has attempted to install a car seat can understand why.
When he became a father for the first time, babyark CEO and founder Shy Mindel became flustered when it came time to install the seats he bought for his twins. If as an aeronautical engineer he found it to be a puzzle, he wondered how many other parents were having trouble, or not realizing that their installation was not done correctly. That’s how babyark was born. With safety top of mind.
A huge component of the safety-first approach, (and a need Shy and his team sought to fill), is reducing human error, and getting the most out of each safety component. This requires correct installation and accurately leveraging each of the various features built in to take care of our most precious passengers.
Safety as the North Star informs every step of the journey
With safety as a North Star, babyark was born with the facilitation of correct installation in mind. What does a safety-first mentality from inception mean? It means that product decisions are informed by understanding that correct installation is a necessity for success, and thus babyark convertible car seats combine features that boost child safety but minimize the complication of installation.
A prime example of eliminating complexity and reducing likelihood of human error? babyark’s choice to combine three of the most effective car seat safety features - an anti-rebound bar, rigid LATCH, and a front load leg. Not only does this leverage components used in infant car seats but not always applied to convertible car seats, it also creates a pyramid of safety and sturdiness without relying on correct use of a top tether. Front load legs provide stability, are easy to open, and click into place, for another example of safety combined with ease of use. They also employ wise energy distribution to improve crash protection in case of impact.
Premeditated Ease
Why not rely on a top tether? Studies found that 64% of parents who installed car seats were not using a top tether on front-facing seats. Whether oversight, a lack of general education about the safety of such a feature, incorrect usage, or a conscious decision to rely on other methods - this means that car seats constructed with a reliance on top tethers are often significantly less safe and effective than intended due to the simple fact that one of the elements is not set up. A seat belt will not protect you in a crash if you do not put it on, and this obvious logic applies even more so to child safety wherein each component is carefully selected to be used in harmony.
Further, whereas many car seats require actively adding on the piece that is the Anti-Rebound bar, babyark’s ARB is an integrated part of the base, and its activation is an integral part of the installation that is prompted with a clear, visual explanation. Rigid LATCH was also selected for this very reason - the combination of top safety marks and the ease of use, with clear indicators of where and what to connect, and the unmistakable click of success.
Steps to safety
Safe installation means correct installation. Each and every time.
babyark’s simple, secure step-by-step installation process helps make sure that the seat is properly installed, and that baby is buckled up - each and every ride. We know that life with babies is dynamic, so we don’t stop at install. If at any point there is a need to redo one of the install steps, the app will inform you immediately. Learn more about our real-time alerts and smart notifications here.
And because the base only needs to be installed once even when it’s time to switch your child to forward-facing, you can rest easy knowing that you’ve done it right. In this case, one and done is winning.
All babyark models include step-by step guidance within our app to ensure installation is completed properly, with no steps skipped and no feature overlooked. Explanation videos help take out the guesswork, even for adjustments and modifications down the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), just by ensuring proper installation, we can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers.
The application of a new standard of safety
In our smart models, the ACTV8™ Smart Base is equipped with 14 sensors and a LED-light system. This provides visual confirmation and peace of mind that you’ve done everything just right, with the intelligence registering when each step is complete and moving you automatically to the next step in the process. The app minimizes obstacles, with visual prompts and cues at each phase for what comes next and “what success looks like.” SmrtGide™ provides simple step-by-step instructions, meaning anyone can install the car seat and receive the feedback that it has been done properly. This facilitates continued use of your babyark across cars and family members, and from your first baby to your very last - helpful in a car seat made with only premium materials and with no expiration date.
An install to please them all
While babyark was conceived and engineered for safety, it was clear to the team that the first step toward efficacy had to be simplified, guided, practically-foolproof installation. Beyond improving the customer experience, streamlining the installation process minimizes the likelihood of human error, giving parents both peace of mind and increased success at leveraging all the safety components contained within the babyark car seat.
