What You Should Know About Accidents & Car Seats
What You Should Know About Accidents & Car Seats
If you’re in an accident and your child’s car seat was in the vehicle (with or without the child in it), there are some things you should know, such as:
- Do you need to replace the car seat?
- How the car seat may have damaged safety features
- The types of accidents that mean you should replace the car seat
This is an important safety blog post from our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC. Please pay close attention to what you need to know about car seats and accidents.
Does The Car Seat Need To Be Replaced After An Accident?
The short answer is yes. If you’re involved in a vehicle accident and have a car seat in your vehicle, you should replace it. Similar to how you or another party to the accident may have an internal injury you don’t know about; a car seat can have hidden damage to it. You certainly don’t want to put your child in their car seat or booster if it’s damaged. It’s best to replace the car seat to protect your child.
Safety Features Of The Car Seat May Be Damaged
When you bought the car seat, you most likely purchased it because of the listed safety features. Car seats often have visible and hidden safety features. Even if you perform a visual inspection of the car seat, you may not be able to see the damage that puts your child in danger. Examples of safety features that may be damaged include and are not limited to:
- Five-point harness that the child wears
- Anti-rebound bar
- Rear-facing tether
- Lower anchors
- Shoulder safety belts
- EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) or EPP (Expanded Polypropylene Foam)
- Adjustable features of the car seat
You can learn more about car seats and booster seat safety features from the NHTSA website.
Car Seat Replacement: Which Accidents Designate Replacement?
According to the NHTSA, car seats should be replaced if you’re involved in a:
- Minor accidents. Certain minor accidents may not damage the car seat in a way that you can see. Rather, it may have damage that you cannot see. If you’re in a minor accident, refer to the installation manual of the car seat to know what sorts of smaller accidents mean you should replace the car seat or booster seat. Remember, the job of a car seat or booster seat is to protect your child. Don’t hesitate to replace the car seat.
- Moderate accidents. If you’re in a car accident that is categorized as moderate, you should most definitely replace the car seat. Again, this is the recommendation of the NHTSA for the protection of your child. Remember that your child doesn’t have to be in the car seat at the time of the accident to replace it.
- Severe accidents. There could be obvious damage to the car seat, but also remember that many safety features may be damaged on the inside or bottom of the seat.
Does Insurance Cover Car Seats?
If you’re involved in a vehicle accident, you can submit the cost of the replacement car seat or booster seat as part of your claim.
Stay Safe This Summer!
Now that you know more about replacing a car seat in the event of an accident, enjoy your summer! If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, speak with a car accident lawyer to discuss whether you have a case.
