After a car crash, most of us know to check for injuries and damage to our vehicles. But what about your child’s car seat? Consumer Reports’ own car seat safety expert found herself asking that same question, and her experience could help other parents.
Consumer Reports’ car seat safety expert Emily Thomas was recently rear-ended on the highway. Thankfully, she’s okay, and her kids weren’t in the car. But their car seats were. That raised a big question for any parent: Do you need to replace a car seat after a crash?
If you’ve been in a crash, you may not always need to replace your car seat, particularly if it’s a minor crash. But if it’s a moderate to severe crash, then you should definitely replace your car seats. So, what’s considered a minor crash? Here’s a checklist from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If any of these criteria are NOT met, it’s time to get a new car seat.
Emily said, “In my case, the car seats looked fine – there was no visible damage. There were also no injuries sustained in the crash. The impact was at the rear of the vehicle, so the doors closest to the car seats were not damaged. However, both vehicles were towed and there was airbag deployment, so this counts as a moderate-to-severe crash, and the seats must be replaced.”
Some child car seat manufacturers say you should replace their car seats after ANY crash. You should follow the instructions of your car seat manufacturer. If the seats need to be replaced, talk to your insurance company - they might be able to cover the cost. You’ll also need to properly dispose of the old car seats so no one else uses them. Remove all the covers, cut the harness straps, and mark the shell with “Do Not Use.”
Even when your kids aren’t in the car, make sure their car seats are properly secured so they don’t become projectiles in a car crash. If you have a booster seat, buckle it in. When riding with your kids, make sure your child is properly harnessed - snug and at the correct height.
CR experts also recommend avoiding buying a used car seat if possible, but if you need to a secondhand car seat, Consumer Reports has an interactive decision chart to find out whether the seat is safe to use. We’ll put a link to it on our station website.