DOT Car Seat Ratings: We Viz the Best Models

With the most recent DOT/NHTSA car seat ease of use data posted on data.gov, we created this viz to help parents choose a car seat that they can actually operate!

Choosing a car seat can be nerve-racking and confusing... likewise for using one. Use this viz to select your seat type and browse through each seat. As you can see, The First Years offerings seem to be leading the pack in ease of use.

Visually, this graphic is uncomplicated. We used stars, a symbol mentally associated with car safety, to enable quick browsing and consumer decision making. When making a viz that answers a simple question (which car seat is the easiest to use and why?), try to make it simple and intuitive by avoiding gimmicks and clutter.