Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
What to Look for in a Child Car Seat (Part B)
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration article, “Are All Seats Safe?” All child car seats rated by NHTSA meet Federal Safety Standards & strict crash performance standards. While all the NHTSA rated car seats are deemed safe, they do differ in their ease of use in four basic categories:
- Evaluation of instructions
- Evaluation of Labels
- Vehicle installation features
- Securing the child”
You can visit this rating system, which provides a wealth of information at the NHTSA site.
What to Avoid in Child Car Seats:
- Seats where you don’t know the history
- Old car seats
- Car seats with visible cracks
- Car seats without a label with date of manufacture or model number
- Car seats without instructions
- Car seats with missing parts
- Seats that have been recalled
- Car seats that have already been in an accident
So, although many parents look for special deals on child-related items by shopping at yard sales, garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, and the like; when shopping for a car seat, these places may not be the best choices since the history of the car seat would not be known and may have already been involved in an accident.
If you or your child has been injured in an auto accident in Boston or Andover you should contact a personal injury attorney immediately to learn about your rights and determine liability. Massachusetts has a statute of limitations that may prohibit you from filing a lawsuit if too much time has passed. Contact Kiley Law Group for guidance on your personal injury case.
The American Academy of Pediatricians states, Do not use seats that have been in a moderate or severe crash. Seats that were in a minor crash may still be safe to use.
The NHTSA considers a crash minor if all of the following are true:
- The vehicle could be driven away from the crash.
- The vehicle door closest to the car safety seat was not damaged.
- No one in the vehicle was injured.
- The air bags did not go off.
- You can’t see any damage to the car safety seat.”
Some hospitals offer car seat safety programs for new parents. Expectant parents should check with their birthing center to see if they offer any deals on car seat purchases or educational programs. In some car seat safety courses, the hospital offers a coupon for purchase; others offer a rebate once the prospective parents have purchased a car seat.
If your child has been injured due to a faulty or defective car seat, contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately to preserve your child’s rights.
When you are interviewing personal injury attorneys ask critical questions, like: how long have you been practicing; what is the largest settlement or verdict you’ve obtained, and do you have experience with child injuries? Kiley Law Group, located in Boston and Andover, Massachusetts takes time when speaking with you about your case and works with you on a contingent fee basis so there are NO FEES unless our Massachusetts child injury lawyers wins your case. Call now for a FREE evaluation of your case – 1-888-208-1695.
