Do you think internal testing data would be a service? If you don’t trust them as you say, why would you trust their proprietary test data if they released it? Besides, any data they released would be done to specifications that showed glowing results. They certainly wouldn’t release anything making their products look mediocre or failing to pass some threshold. None of it would be comparable to any other manufacturer, because each would use its own standards and variables making it meaningless.

What is really needed is a government standard that not only defines what is required, but sets up a manufacturer-independent testing system like we have with vehicles such that we can compare crashworthiness on a 5-star or similar scale.

As it is now, there is simply no way to address whether or not a crash safety feature for child seats works well or how it compares to another brand or model. To a skeptic, I dount anything any particular manufacturer does on their own could prove anything in terms of safety. Internal or independent, such standards and tests just do not exist.

Now, I know that it is safest to keep her rear facing as long as possible, but I also heard that the middle is the safest place for a car seat. So would it be better to move her to front facing in the middle when she reaches the proper size, or should we keep her rear facing on the side of the car?