Product Hazards – Car Seats

It is estimated that 1,579 children die and 227,000 suffer severe injuries each year as a result of inadequate car and car seat safety. According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, over 50 percent of children (ages 14 and under) killed in car accidents were not restrained at the time of impact.

This is one of 4 million car seats/carriers recalled by Century Products in October, 2000. At the time of the recall, Century had received more than 2,700 reports of handle-related problems, including handles breaking, cracking or possibly not being locked while the seat is being used as a carrier, and over 200 reports of injury, including concussions, skull fractures, lacerations, broken bones, bruises, and scratches as a result of such handle-related problems.

A study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration found that 82 percent of car seats are installed or used improperly.

Millions of car seats have been recalled in the last 10 years including seats by all major manufacturers.

According to Consumer Reports, more than three out of four car seats that are recalled never get returned or repaired, so may be still in use. Every car seat manufacturer has a toll free phone number, to inquire if any of your products have been recalled.

Call 800/555-1212 for toll-free directory assistance to get any 800 phone number. Replacement and repair on recalled products is free. To check its recall status, you will need the name, model number and date of manufacture of your car seat (this information is usually printed on a sticker on the side or bottom of the car seat).

You can access car seat recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through its Car Seat Hotline at 800/424-9393.

While NHTSA recalls car seats for performance as a car seat, CPSC also recalls car seats for other hazards, such as handles failing.

Search the NHTSA database for recent car seat recalls