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Ford to Provide Enhanced Child Seat System Across All Vehicle Lines

11 February 1999

Ford to Provide Enhanced Child Seat System Across All Vehicle Lines Starting This Year

    DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 11 -- Ford will install a new child
safety seat anchorage system starting this year that will provide for a more
secure attachment of the seat to the vehicle, reducing the likelihood of
improper installation and increasing protection for children in an accident.
    The new Ford system will incorporate universal rigid metal securing points
that connect directly to the vehicle, providing a solid installation.  The
child safety seat is placed directly onto the rear car or truck seat and
connects to the rigid metal securing points.  These points not only make
installation of child seats easier and more secure, but eliminate the
variability and guesswork associated with an array of non-standard designs and
components.
    Ford's system will be available in the United States and Canada beginning
with the Windstar minivan and the new Ford Focus and will be phased-in over
the next several years on all vehicle lines worldwide.  Vehicles in the U.S.,
Canada and Australia will also have built-in anchors for a top tether strap.
    "There's nothing parents are more concerned about in their vehicles than
those features that relate to their children's safety," said Lou Camp,
director of Ford's Automotive Safety Office.  "We are announcing our plans for
a system that will not only be easy to use but will be available in advance of
any government timetable.  Additionally, we plan no extra charge to customers
for this safety innovation."
    More than 600 children under five years of age are killed annually in
motor vehicle crashes and over 70,000 are injured, according to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
    Most serious injuries result from not using child safety seats, not using
the vehicle seat belts to install the safety seat or not properly buckling the
child into the safety seat.  A system that simplifies installation and
increases the effectiveness of child safety seats will help reduce fatalities
and injuries.
    The government has been studying the need for uniform anchoring systems
for child safety seats.  The study began two years ago with an initial
proposal calling for a belt-only anchor that locked into the child seat.  Ford
believed this would result in a system that provided inadequate protection and
proposed an alternative.
    "We have been proceeding with the design and development work since last
year and are well down the road to having a robust and customer-friendly
system available quickly," Camp said.  "We are also in discussions with major
car seat manufacturers to seek their cooperation and expedite the process even
more."  Child seats are being designed that will fit properly into the new
anchoring systems.

    Ford vehicles are among the very top performers in frontal and side crash
tests conducted by the federal government.  Recently, the Ford Windstar became
the first vehicle to receive dual five-star ratings for both frontal and side
crash performance.  Among other top-scoring vehicles are the Ford Taurus and
Mercury Sable, the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis.

    Ford news releases and photographs are available on the Ford News Service
web site (http://media.ford.com).  High-resolution photographs maybe
downloaded from the web site or from the Wieck Photo DataBase (972-392-0888)
at no charge.