Keeping Your Child Safe in a Car Seat
Friday, June 3rd, 2011Most parents understand that their number one job is keeping their children safe. That’s why they buy various products to keep their kids from being injured. Whether it’s the latest and greatest crib, stroller, or car seat, moms and dads need to know that their children are well protected.
Unfortunately, as a child car seat injury lawyer, I know that no matter how diligent parents are, tragedies sometimes occur. Each and every year in the United States, thousands of children are fatally injured because of automobile crashes. What makes matters worse is, even though children are buckled in, they can still sustain injuries because of a host of factors.
Statistics
Car crashes are the number one killer of children under 14. Half of the fatalities to children under 5 involve kids who are unrestrained. One reason for this is the misuse of child restraints due to unclear instructions that caregivers misunderstood. Child car seats, whether for infants, toddlers or young children are enormously effective in preventing deaths but ,if they are not being used correctly because of incomprehensible installation instructions, they may actually increase the risk to a child.
Recalls
Over the years there have been numerous baby product recalls including recalls for car seats — a product that is supposed to keep children safe.
One recent, large recall involves Dorel Juvenile group. In February the company, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, recalled as many as 800,000 car seats. The problem centered on the unit’s harness locking system.
Back in 2009, Dorel was at the center of another major recall. That time more than 440,000 car seat carriers were recalled.
In the last 21 years, as many as 20 models of baby and child car seats, including carriers have been recalled. The reasons vary, but for the most part the units did not meet government standards related to child restraint systems.
What Should Parents do?
When parents are shopping for a car seat there are some basic things they should remember.
- First avoid buying a used car seat, especially if it is more than 10 years old. These older car seats may have been recalled and may have structural issues.
- Secondly, make sure the car seat is appropriate for your child’s age, weight and height.
Legal Questions
If you believe your child has been injured due to a faulty child seat or carrier, you should contact a knowledgeable child accident lawyer. They can help you determine if your claim is valid and if you have a right to compensation.