Who is responsible for setting the safety standards for motor vehicle car seats?

The responsibility for setting safety standards for motor vehicle car seats lies primarily with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA is a federal agency that oversees vehicle safety and regulations, including the design and manufacture of child restraint systems. They establish guidelines, conduct testing, and enforce regulations to ensure that car seats meet safety requirements.

While Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are indeed a set of regulations established under NHTSA that cover safety standards for various vehicle components, including child safety seats, these standards themselves are established by NHTSA. Therefore, while FMVSS pertains to safety standards, it is NHTSA that creates and enforces those standards.

The EPA focuses on environmental regulations, the Department of Transportation oversees transportation safety and infrastructure but is not directly involved in setting specific safety standards for car seats. Thus, the most accurate answer in this context is that NHTSA is the agency responsible for creating the standards related to car seat safety, making it the key authority in this area.