As a parent, you want to do everything you can to keep your child safe. When they ride in the car with you, you make sure to strap them into their car seats on every trip. But did you know that there are many factors that can significantly reduce the effectiveness of car seats during crashes?
They include the following:
- Car seat isn’t properly secured to base or seat—In order for car seats to provide maximum effectiveness during collisions, they must be fully secured. When bases are installed improperly, or when they are secured via seatbelts incorrectly, they can move and even become detached during crashes.
- Child is wearing a thick jacket—When buckling your child into their car seat during the winter, they may be wearing a thick jacket that can make it difficult to secure them. Remember that the bulkiness of their jacket can prevent the straps from tightening enough to keep them safe during a crash, so remove it before you place them in their car seat.
- Car seat is damaged—Car seats should be discarded if they’ve been damaged in a car accident. Car seats are only designed to provide protection in a single crash that involves them sustaining damage. You can keep car seats after low speed, minor fender-benders, but car seats should be replaced after any other type of accident.
At Ponce Law, we believe in protecting children before, during, and after crashes. If you or your child was hurt in a crash, our Nashville car accident lawyers want to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
