RC2's The First Years® Pathway Booster Seat Receives 'Best Bet' Recommendation From Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Learning Curve® Brands, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (Nasdaq: RCRC), announces its The First Years brand was recently recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) with a "Best Bet" rating for The First Years Pathway B570 Booster Seat. An independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to preventing motor vehicle crashes and reducing injuries, the IIHS recognizes booster seat models that best provide a good lap and shoulder belt fit in a range of vehicles. According to the IIHS, boosters elevate children so belts will fit their small frames better to protect them in a crash. A good booster routes the lap belt flat across a child's upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at midshoulder.

"We are honored to have our The First Years Pathway B570 Booster Seat recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety," said Pete Henseler, President of Learning Curve Brands, Inc. "As with all The First Years car seats, safety is our top priority. We strive to make our car seats and booster seats easy to install while ensuring a proper, secure fit."

First introduced in 2010, The First Years Pathway Booster Seat features color-coded adjustable shoulder and optimized lap belt paths for a comfortable and secure fit each and every time. Accommodating children 30-100 lbs. and between 38-57 inches tall, the Pathway Booster Seat includes a self-adjusting back, which ensures easy installation. When the seat is not in use, the lower anchor attachments keep it secure in the event the caregiver does not secure the seat with the vehicle lap and shoulder belt. The First Years Pathway Booster Seat, as with all The First Years' seats, is side-impact tested to Australian standards, the most stringent standards for side-impact testing.

In addition to being recognized by the IIHS, The First Years' infant, convertible and booster car seats have been recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a 5-Star Rating for Overall Ease of Use. For more information on The First Years car seats, visit www.thefirstyears.com/5stars.

About Learning Curve® Brands, Inc.

Learning Curve Brands, Inc. (www.learningcurve.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (NASDAQ: RCRC, www.rc2.com) and is a leading designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of innovative, high-quality products for mothers, infants, and toddlers, as well as toys and collectible products sold to preschoolers, youths and adults.  Learning Curve Brands, Inc. markets its infant, toddler and preschool products under its Learning Curve^® family of brands which includes The First Years^® and Lamaze^® and JJ Cole^® Collections brands, as well as popular and classic licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Special Agent Oso, Chuggington, Dinosaur Train, John Deere, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, Princesses, Cars, Fairies and Toy Story, and other well-known properties.  The Company's youth and adult products are marketed under the Johnny Lightning^® (www.johnnylightning.com) and Ertl^®, (www.ertl.com) brands. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North America, Europe, Australia, Asia Pacific and South America.

SOURCE RC2 Corporation