trippsmom
CPST Instructor
Susan at SKJP just sent me an email about the replacement of my Radians. I was going off the manual about replacing after a crash, but I've quoted her email.
My wreck was slow on my part and I only busted my bumper and blew a headlight (that we know of). His car is totalled as I hit it betweent the driver and rear doors (plus it was a beater). He was moving though I was only creeping.
No one was hurt.
What do we think?
Dh already has been told we have to replace them and the cop even mentioned it, but... Like I said in my first post, they pass NHTSA requirements for keeping.
My wreck was slow on my part and I only busted my bumper and blew a headlight (that we know of). His car is totalled as I hit it betweent the driver and rear doors (plus it was a beater). He was moving though I was only creeping.
No one was hurt.
What do we think?
Dh already has been told we have to replace them and the cop even mentioned it, but... Like I said in my first post, they pass NHTSA requirements for keeping.
ACCIDENT REPLACEMENT
We recommend you replace your car seat once it has been involved in an accident.
As stated in our manual on page 7 " Do not use restraint after is has been involved in any accident. Damage to the restraint may have occurred which could impair its ability to adequately protect a child."
To determine if your car seat needs to be replaced we recommend using the following NHTSA criteria.
NHTSA's recommendation that replacement is unnecessary after a "minor" crash
A crash is considered to be minor and the child seat involved in it is safe for reuse if it meets ALL of the following criteria:
1. A visual inspection of the child safety seat, including inspection under any easily movable seat padding, does not reveal any cracks or deformation that might have been caused by the crash;
2. The vehicle in which the child safety seat was installed was capable of being driven from the scene of the crash;
3. The vehicle door nearest the child safety seat was undamaged;
4. There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants;
and;
5. The air bags (if any) did not deploy.
If you feel your accident met the above criteria than you should not need to replace your car seat. However if you have doubts about the safety of your car seat than it is always better to err on the side of caution and replace the car seat.