After a collision, most child safety seats need replaced. For your
child's protection.Depending on the safety seat manufacturer, the
recommendations vary. Some say that use of the seat should be ceased immediately
regardless of wether or not the chair was occupied during the accident no matter
the scope of the accident. Graco, Evenflo, Cosco/Safety 1st/Eddie Bauer, and
Sunshine Kids all have FAQ's on their websites regarding this issue. For the
most part, they recommend to cease the use of the damaged equipment immediately,
and seek replacements.
Britax recommends that use of a child restraint be discontinued if it has been in a moderate to severe crash. They also advise of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) position that it is not necessary to replace a child restraint after a minor crash. A minor crash is one that meets ALL of following criteria:
-The vehicle was able to be dricen away from the crash site
-The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was undamaged
-There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants
-The air bags (if present) did not deploy AND
-There is no visible damage to the child restraint.
Please note that these criteria do NOT differentiate between an unoccupied and occupied seat. The carseat has been subjected to crash forces even if it was unoccupied at the time of the crash. There could be unseen damage from the stress of the crash that could potentially cause the seat to fail to properly protect your child in the event of another crash.
The at-fault driver's auto insurance should be contacted about covering replacent(s). If you live in a no-fault insurance state, then you would pursue replacement through your own car insurance company.
ALSO: Any seatbelt that was being worn at the time of an accident needs to be replaced!
Britax recommends that use of a child restraint be discontinued if it has been in a moderate to severe crash. They also advise of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) position that it is not necessary to replace a child restraint after a minor crash. A minor crash is one that meets ALL of following criteria:
-The vehicle was able to be dricen away from the crash site
-The vehicle door nearest the child restraint was undamaged
-There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants
-The air bags (if present) did not deploy AND
-There is no visible damage to the child restraint.
Please note that these criteria do NOT differentiate between an unoccupied and occupied seat. The carseat has been subjected to crash forces even if it was unoccupied at the time of the crash. There could be unseen damage from the stress of the crash that could potentially cause the seat to fail to properly protect your child in the event of another crash.
The at-fault driver's auto insurance should be contacted about covering replacent(s). If you live in a no-fault insurance state, then you would pursue replacement through your own car insurance company.
ALSO: Any seatbelt that was being worn at the time of an accident needs to be replaced!
