I spend a lot of time researching car seats.

Like most parents, I started with the things we're taught to care about: Is it installed correctly? Does it fit my child? How did it perform in safety testing?

But then I learned something I wasn't expecting.

Car seats sold in the United States have to meet a federal flammability standard.

But manufacturers don't have to use added chemical flame retardants to meet it.

In fact, there are already car seats on the market that meet federal safety requirements without added flame-retardant chemicals.

So why isn't it incredibly easy for every parent to know which is which?

Parents shouldn't have to email manufacturers, dig through FAQs, search individual fabric names or rely on independent laboratory testing to find out whether added flame-retardant chemicals are used in something their baby sits, sleeps and rides in.

Car-seat manufacturers should clearly disclose whether added flame-retardant chemicals are used in their products — and, when they are used, identify those chemicals.

That information should be clearly available on the product, its packaging and online at the time of purchase.

It's our child. It's our car seat. Just tell us what's in it.

Please sign this petition asking car-seat manufacturers to give parents clear, standardized disclosure of added flame-retardant chemicals.