Bronson Healthcare Warns the Community About Purchasing Car Seats Online
Bronson Healthcare wants the community to be aware and educated when it comes to buying car seats, especially online. Recently, experts from Bronson Methodist Hospital and Safe Kids Kalamazoo County, a non-profit organization led by Bronson Children’s Hospital have seen a rise in counterfeit car seats in the area that do not meet the federal safety standards.
“It can be difficult to tell the difference between a real car seat and a fake one,” says Emma Youngs, CPSTI, Childhood Injury Prevention Coordinator at Bronson Children’s Hospital. “However, a counterfeit car seat lacks the proper parts and testing. All car seats that are legal in the U.S. must meet the same strict federal safety standards and counterfeit car seats do not.”
If purchasing a car seat online, beware of third-party sellers such as Temu, Wish, eBay and even sometimes Walmart or Amazon. Here are a few ways to check if your car seat is authentic:
- Check the labels for these requirements:
- This statement on the label: “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213).”
- Manufacturer sticker with model name/number, manufacturer name, address, phone number and manufactured date
- Minimum and maximum height and weight requirements
- Make sure a safety manual and a registration card are included and use it to register your car seat with the manufacturer
- Look for missing safety features, such as the chest clip and five-point harness
- Have your car seat inspected by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician
Bronson Children's Hospital, Safe Kids Kalamazoo County and Safe Kids Greater South Haven encourage families to have their car seats inspected by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians before coming to the hospital to deliver their baby and when they get a new seat for their child. Both coalitions host car seat inspection stations throughout the community in partnership with local public safety and work to help families keep children safe from preventable injuries. They can also help families that are in need of car seats for their children.
Visit the Safe Kids websites for locations and to schedule an appointment to have your car seat inspected. For other helpful information about car seats, visit Safekids.org, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or American Academy of Pediatrics.
If you discover that your car seat is counterfeit, return it as soon as possible and contact the retailer to make them aware. If you are not required to return the car seat to receive your refund, please discard it rather than donating it.
