Your child and their safety is your main concern as a parent. In turn, you want a car seat that is reliable, and will do it’s job to keep your child safe in the event of an accident. Therefore, faulty car seats are a pretty big safety issue when it comes to your little ones. Being that automobile accidents happen everyday, you want to take every precaution possible to protect your child. But, in the event that your chosen safety device is defective— there is only so much you can do. So what can you, as a parent, watch out for? That way, you can be sure that your child is as safe as possible.
Faulty Car Seats and Product Liability: Most Common Car Seat Defects
Faulty latch/buckles. One common type of car seat defect is a faulty latch or buckles. In the case of buckles, if they are too loose, they can fail to protect your child in the case of an accident. However, if they are too difficult to come undone, you may be unable to quickly remove the child after an accident. Therefore, both of these cases present serious danger to the child. You need a secure buckle that will work properly in an emergency.
Flammable materials. In some car seat products, the material the manufacturer used to produce the car seat could be the problem. For example, some cheap and poorly made materials can be flammable. Which puts your child at extreme risk in the event of crash, or even just too much time spent in direct sunlight.
Weak frames. Like the material used in a car seat, the frame can be a safety hazard as well. Weak or broken frames do not allow the car seat to function properly. Therefore, in the event of accident, the car seat has the potential to fall apart, break, or just plain not do it’s job.
Faulty Car Seats and Product Liability: Checking For Defects
As a general rule of thumb, you want to periodically check your child’s car seat for any signs of defectiveness or dangerous wear and tear. Check through all of it’s functions to make sure they are performing properly. In addition, check the car seat brand and model before purchasing the product. Ultimately, none of these steps can guarantee that you won’t have a faulty car seat on your hands. But, they do increase your chances of making a more informed, safe decision for your little ones.