LATCH vs. Seat Belt: Which Should I Use?

Use either LATCH or the vehicle seat belt to install your car seat, not both, unless both your car seat and vehicle manufacturers say it is allowed. When each is installed correctly, the two methods are equally safe.

Reviewed by Jessie, our on-staff certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.

What LATCH means

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. The lower anchors are metal bars built into the vehicle seat, and the tether is a strap that anchors the top of a forward-facing seat. You hold the car seat down with either the lower anchors or the seat belt, never both.

The lower-anchor weight limit

Lower anchors have a weight limit. Many seats cap lower-anchor use at a combined 65 pounds (the car seat plus your child), but always follow the lower-anchor weight limit printed on your specific seat. Once you reach it, switch to installing with the vehicle seat belt, and keep using the top tether.

Always use the top tether for forward-facing

For a forward-facing seat, always attach the top tether. It is separate from the lower-anchor-versus-seat-belt choice, and it limits how far your child's head moves in a crash. NHTSA finds most forward-facing seats are used without it, a common and important mistake.

So which is better?

Neither. LATCH was designed to make a correct installation easier, not to be safer than a seat belt. Use whichever gives you the tightest, most consistent install in your specific seat and vehicle, then confirm it passes the inch test.