Graco Under Fire for Child Safety Seats, Forced to Issue Product Recall for Belts

Graco, a child safety seat manufacturer owned by Newell Rubbermaid Inc, has issued the largest child seat product recall in 5 years after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demanded that the company pull the seats due to problems with the buckle.

The product recall covers 11 models of car seats manufactured between 2009 and 2013. However, the NHTSA said that the product recall issued by Graco does not cover 7 other models of child safety seat that the agency requested.

The NHTSA warned that the child safety seats had a buckle that could make it “difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire or other emergency.”

Both Graco and the agency have received complaints about the buckle’s difficulty.

On Tuesday, February 11th, the NHTSA sent a strongly-worded letter to Graco because the company has not provided information on why the other seven models were excluded from the product recall. The agency could hold a public hearing to force Graco to include the models if the company does not comply.

The company has said that it will send replacement buckles to consumers immediately. Graco also sent documents to the NHTSA with information about the potential dangers of the child safety seats, suggesting that only 1% or less of the seats under product recall will have a problem with stuck or unlatching buckles.

The NHTSA, however, was unsatisfied with the safety reports from the company, insisting that “any statements that may lead the public to discount the seriousness of the safety risk presented by this defect” should be deleted from the submitted information.

Recalled child safety seats include Cozy Cline, ComfortSport, Classic Ride 50, My Ride 65, My Ride with Safety Surround, My Ride 70, Size 4 Me 70, Smart Seat, Nautilus, Nautilus Elite and Argos 70.

According to the NHTSA, this is the fourth-largest child safety seat recall in US history, and the largest child product recall in the past five years.

Child Safety Seat Regulations

When you are expecting a child, purchasing a child safety seat is one of the most important decisions to consider.  There are a variety of options to choose from, and although protecting your child is foremost in your mind, he or she may not be as safe in the back seat of your vehicle as you think.

The federal government mandated an attachment system, known as LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) to be put in place after inspections found child-safety seats were frequently installed incorrectly.

A 2004 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that belt buckles and other seat hardware could get in the way of the child seat connectors, and that the anchors could become buried in the seat and therefore be out of reach. Consistent problems with belts and buckles on child safety seats can lead to product recalls to improve safety conditions for children; however, manufacturers are consistently on the defensive regarding their products, sometimes compromising child safety for profit margins.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help With Defective Product Cases, Such As Inadequate Child Safety Seats

If you or someone you know has been injured by defective or dangerous product , such as an inadequate child safety seat, and feel that you may be owed financial compensation, we urge you to contact one of our lawyers as soon as possible. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case.  803.252.4800.