Can I Re-Use a Child Seat After A Minor Missouri Car Crash?

Child seats are increasingly sophisticated – and expensive – pieces of safety equipment. Children need proper car seats from their first-ever ride in a vehicle until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall, weigh at least 90 pounds, or are 12-years-old. The type of seat a child needs changes as he or she grows.

Many families re-use car seats among multiple children. It’s also tempting for parents to keep using an expensive car seat after a Missouri car crash, but is it safe to re-use a child seat after an accident? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides some tips.

Child car seats should be replaced after any moderate or severe crash. However, a child seat may not need replacement if all of the following are true:

• The vehicle was driveable immediately after the crash;
• The door nearest the child safety seat was not damaged;
• Nobody in the vehicle was injured;
• The air bags, if any, did not go off; and
• There is no damage to the child safety seat.

If any of these factors occurred in the accident, however, the child safety seat should be replaced. Look for a replacement seat that meets the most recent NHTSA and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines and that is rated for the height and weight of the child who will use it.

Child safety seats save lives in both mild and severe crashes. If your child has been injured in a car crash, a Missouri car crash attorney at Page Law can help. Call us today at (314) 322-8515 for a confidential case evaluation.