How Can I Make Sure a Child Car Seat Is Installed Correctly?

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children between the ages of 3 and 14 years old. Statistics collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 663 children 12 years old and younger died in car accidents during 2015. In 2014, 121,350 children suffered injuries during car accidents. However, the CDC also claims that you may improve your child’s safety during a car crash by using safety seats correctly. According to a study cited by the CDC, states with strict child car seat laws have lower rates of children who suffer catastrophic injuries or death during car accidents.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published several recommendations that can improve the effectiveness of child car seats. These recommendations may include:

• Choosing the right seat: There are different types of seats that should be used depending on your child’s age and size. Rear-facing car seats are made for newborns and small babies. On the other hand, forward-facing seats with harnesses are made for children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. Booster seats should be used by children until they can wear normal seatbelts. NHTSA has published a chart that can help you select the correct car seat.
• Installing the seat correctly: If you are not already familiar with child safety seats, then it is best to have a professional perform the installation. NHTSA has a web tool that allows you to find and select locations that will install your child’s safety seat. Type in your zip code and it may display several results, such as fire stations and offices operated by the Texas Department of Transportation. You can also use these services to perform an inspection on your child’s car seat. Call beforehand to make sure these locations still offer services.

Can Child Car Seats Cause Injuries?

Your child could still suffer catastrophic injuries or wrongful death even if you select the right car seat and perform the installation correctly. In some cases, your child’s car seat may contain manufacturing or design defects. For example, Graco issued a recall for 25,000 “My Ride 65” car seats sold during the summer of 2014. Recalls for child car seats are not a rare occurrence.You can use NHTSA’s website to check if your child’s car seat is under recall. The best way to do this is to register the car seat with your manufacturer and to sign up for recall notices from NHTSA. This will allow you to receive recall notices from both NHTSA and the seat’s manufacturer.If your child was harmed while using a safety seat, then it is important to discuss legal options with a product liability attorney. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to secure damages from the manufacturer or other parties. This could help pay for expenses that include medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, and pain and suffering.The Texas product liability attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC are dedicated to fighting against negligent business practices that harm innocent people. If your child was harmed by a defective car seat, then our attorneys can help determine whether you have legal options for damages.