Consumer Reports Recalls
Consumer Reports, a publication created by an advocacy program, released statements on January 5, 2007 about a test conducted privately questioning the stability of twelve infant car seats. According to the statement, Consumer Reports found that ten of the twelve seats failed miserably, even throwing a seat many feet from the car. The article was due out in February on their findings.
Later findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that Consumer Report’s statement and evidence was misleading or incorrect. According to Consumer Reports, all of the seats were tested at 38.5 mph on side impact tests. The NHTSA tests all seats at the federally mandated 30mph impact tests, and many manufacturers exceed federal regulations in their private testing of the products.
According to NHTSA upon reviewing Consumer Report’s data, their tests were done at speed over 70mph, nearly double what their report claimed. NHTSA retested seats at the 38.5 mph and found that all twelve maintained stability and stayed in their bases. None of the twelve failed as Consumer Report’s early indication had stated.
The statement was released nationwide on CNN, worrying parents and harming infant seat manufacturers whose products were involved in the story. Many parents either disposed of or returned their car seats, fearful to use them. Parents incurred the cost of new car seats when they didn’t return them for a direct refund, though now it appears to be for little reason.
Consumer Reports stands by its finding that one of the car seats should be recalled, the Evenflo Discovery, though there is no evidence of its defect from any of the NHTSA or manufacturer’s tests completed. Evenflo’s CEO maintained that the seat had met or surpassed NHTSA’s guidelines in seventeen different tests and that the company felt secure that the seat was stable and safe. They also stated that they would work with both Consumer Reports and NHTSA to make certain that their products meet the highest level of safety for their consumers.
Consumer Reports has put a hold on the February release in order to ascertain what went wrong with their testing methods, if anything, and to re-conduct the tests properly. With this startling and scary turn of events, it’s sent a reminder to parents to be ever vigilant about the safety of their children while driving. Any new parent should make certain to send back the registration cards on any new product for their children, especially safety products. The company will then notify you if there’s a recall involving your model. If you have a car seat and are unsure whether or not it’s been recalled, go to the manufacturer’s website to check. Most car seat makers update this information regularly. If you’re unsure how well the car seat you’ve purchased is performing, or whether or not it’s properly installed, NHTSA has information on their website regarding facilities to properly install and teach parents how to install car seats. Find a facility in your area and take a few minutes out of your day to double check. In the worst case scenario, you’ve wasted a few minutes. Statistics show that a vast number of car seats or seatbelts are not correctly installed or placed, so it’s always better safe than sorry.
The jury is still out on Consumer Report’s final results on the twelve car seats. The publication has stated that they will get the results out as soon as possible.
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