You might think that after a collision, you can just visually inspect your child’s car seat to determine whether it’s okay, but that is not the case. A seat that looks fine to the untrained eye might have significant internal damage if the vehicle it was installed in was in a collision.
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that the only time it may be safe to keep using the same seat after a crash is when all of the following five conditions are true. Anything less, and the only safe option is to replace the seat.
- The vehicle it was installed in was still drivable after the accident.
- There wasn’t any damage to the door closest to where the seat was installed.
- No injuries were suffered by anyone in the vehicle.
- None of the airbags deployed in the crash.
- There is no visible damage to the child car seat
Clearly, there are many collisions where one or more things will not be true. In that case, NHTSA recommends replacing the seat and not using the old seat any more. It’s important not to let anyone else use the seat, either.
Prompt replacement is the safest option after a crash
You’ve likely got a lot on your mind in the aftermath of a crash, and it could be easy to continue using the current seat until you have the time to buy a new one. The cost of a new car seat should be covered by insurance after a crash.
Crash compensation claims can be complex. Therefore, it can be helpful to seek legal guidance to speed up the process and pursue the full amount of compensation to which you’re entitled.