Baby Car Seats From the Mid-20th Century Moms Wouldn’t Buy Today

Car seats today are standardized and must follow strict safety regulations. However, it wasn’t that long ago that rules didn’t exist. The Bunny Bear Company made child seats in 1933, however the devices were mainly intended to stop kids from moving around the car.

h/t: vintag.es

By the 1960s, the ring, the bottle and the teat protector were being manufactured out of polypropylene. Car seats were originally designed as booster chairs so children could look out the window of a moving car. It was only in 1962 that the first safe car seats were designed. These functioned as both booster seats and safety precautions for children in cars.

Child safety wasn’t top of mind until the late 1960s and early 1970s when General Motors came out with the Infant Love Seat and the Ford Motor Company released the Tot-Guard.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) set the first standards for car seats. In 1971, drivers were required to use child car seats, using the standard seat belts. However, this law was not usually enforced.

By the 1980s parents and the laws became more sensible and car safety for children was a top concern. All children under certain ages were required to have a proper car seat. Police started enforcing the laws, though inconsistently .

Whether you are a parent, grandparent, bus driver, neighbor or friend keeping our children safe in the car is of utmost importance!