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LATCH - WHAT IS IT AND WHERE
IS IT IN THE VEHICLE?
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for children.
LATCH works by connecting parts of your child’s car seat
or booster seat to special anchors in the vehicle.
Vehicle LATCH hardware:
Lower Anchors: These are a pair of metal bars hidden
in the vehicle's seat crease. Most vehicles since 2003
have the lower anchors for at least 2 seating positions
(almost always for the driver & passenger side seats.
The center seat almost never has lower anchors).
Tether Anchors: These are metal rings or bars that
are behind the vehicle seat. Most vehicles since 2000
have tether anchors for at least 3 seating positions.
Read your vehicle’s owners manual to see if and where
your vehicle has lower anchors and tether anchors.
Child Seat LATCH hardware:
Lower Anchor Connectors: These are hooks on your
child’s seat that will hook onto the lower anchors in
the vehicle’s seat crease.
Flexible LATCH: When the hooks are attached to a
flexible strap that is part of your child's seat.
Rigid LATCH: When the hooks are rigidly attached to
the child's seat and there is no strap involved.