The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends that child car seats be replaced after a moderate or severe crash to
ensure a continued high level of crash protection for child passengers.
However, it is not necessary to replace child safety seats following a minor
car accident.
You may be wondering how do you distinguish between a minor
and moderate/severe accident? The NHTSA defines a minor crash as the following:
-
The vehicle was able to be driven away from the
crash site
-
The vehicle door closest to the child’s car seat
was undamaged
-
Nobody present in the vehicle during the crash
was injured
-
The air bags did not go off
-
There is no visible damage to the safety seat
Crashes that meet all of these criteria are much less severe
and therefore highly unlikely to affect future child safety seat performance.
Therefore, parents and caregivers can feel confident that child restraints
involved in these types of minor accidents will continue to provide proper
protection. However, it is still a good idea to check the manual that came with
the child restraint and see what it says. If you’re still uncertain, contact
the manufacturer.
In the past, the NHTSA recommended to replace a child
restraint whenever it was involved in a crash no matter the severity of the
crash. However, they have now revised that recommendation in order to reduce
the number of children without a safety seat while their seat is being
replaced, as well as to reduce the costs for consumers and insurance companies.
The NHTSA has also cited many international studies since then that shows that
child restraints still perform well in subsequent crash tests after being
tested in minor crashes.
However, in severe crashes, car seats should be replaced,
even if the child was not in the car seat or booster during the crash. The
force of car crashes can be extreme as they can even bend the steel in your
car’s frame, therefore, powerful enough to damage the plastic in your child’s
car seat.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
