Do I need to replace my seats after hitting a deer?

[karina250]

We were driving home tonight and a deer ran out in front of us. We weren't able to stop in time and hit it. We only had the MyRide in the van. How do I know if the seat should be replaced? The insurance company is sending someone out to look at the damage on Monday. The lady I talked to wasn't sure if they would cover the car seat or not and said the adjuster would be able to answer that for me. So I was hoping to find out before that if it was recommended that the seat be replaced or if it was okay to continue using.

 

[wendytthomas]

Graco requires replacement after any crash. If it's bad enough that you've got an adjuster coming out, I'd replace it.

Wendy

 

[karina250]

Graco requires replacement after any crash. If it's bad enough that you've got an adjuster coming out, I'd replace it.

Wendy

Im assuming it says that in the manual. If so do I just need to show that to the insurance adjuster?

 

[wendytthomas]

It does. Hopefully that'll be the end of it.

Wendy

 

[karina250]

It does. Hopefully that'll be the end of it.

Wendy

Sorry to keep asking more questions but I looked in the manual and it says "If child restraint is in a crash it must be replaced. DO NOT use it again." and then it goes on and talks about not always being able to see the damage.

Im wondering if hitting a deer qualifies as a "crash."

 

[wendytthomas]

Since you called the insurance company, yes, I'd consider it a crash.

Wendy

 

[henrietta]

Sorry to keep asking more questions but I looked in the manual and it says "If child restraint is in a crash it must be replaced. DO NOT use it again." and then it goes on and talks about not always being able to see the damage.

Im wondering if hitting a deer qualifies as a "crash."

Hit, wreck, crash...pretty much all the same thing...if you ran into a wall that caused damage to your car, you'd call it a crash. I don't really think that hitting a deer is all that different.

And I recently had similar questions about what really qualifies as needing replaced. It can be tough to understand why manufacturers say to replace them...but unless you just rolled into the deer at 5 mph (like barely bumping someone in a parking lot), chances are your car has damage, which means your seat can, too.

 

[cantabdad]

Im wondering if hitting a deer qualifies as a "crash."

Absolutely, NHTSA considers an animal/wildlife collision to be a crash for all of its official crash databases.

 

[karina250]

Thanks for all your help. I contacted Graco and they sent me a letter to forward on to the insurance company. They are being a bit difficult and are saying placement of the car seat and all that depends on if they will cover it. Does where the car seat was at in the van vs where the deer hit really make a difference in if the seat should be replaced?

 

[wendytthomas]

No, since Graco requires replacement after ay crash.

Wendy

 

[Unregistered]

FYI:

NHTSA Position

NHTSA recommends that child safety seats be replaced following a moderate or severe crash in order to ensure a continued high level of crash protection for child passengers.

NHTSA recommends that child safety seats do not automatically need to be replaced following a minor crash.

Minor crashes are those that meet ALL of the following criteria:

The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site;

The vehicle door nearest the safety seat was undamaged;

There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants;

The air bags (if present) did not deploy; AND

There is no visible damage to the safety seat

Clarifying the need for child seat replacement will reduce the number of children unnecessarily riding without a child safety seat while a replacement seat is being acquired, and the number of children who will have to ride without a child seat if a seat were discarded and not replaced. The clarification will also reduce the financial burden of unnecessary replacement.

 

[wendytthomas]

FYI:

NHTSA Position

NHTSA recommends that child safety seats be replaced following a moderate or severe crash in order to ensure a continued high level of crash protection for child passengers.

NHTSA recommends that child safety seats do not automatically need to be replaced following a minor crash.

Minor crashes are those that meet ALL of the following criteria:

The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site;

The vehicle door nearest the safety seat was undamaged;

There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants;

The air bags (if present) did not deploy; AND

There is no visible damage to the safety seat

Clarifying the need for child seat replacement will reduce the number of children unnecessarily riding without a child safety seat while a replacement seat is being acquired, and the number of children who will have to ride without a child seat if a seat were discarded and not replaced. The clarification will also reduce the financial burden of unnecessary replacement.

Yes, IF the carseat follows those guidelines. That's Britax, the Diono Monterey, and I think Combi. Graco says to replace after any crash. Therefore, the seats need replacing.

Wendy