On May 24, 2017, Graco recalled 25,494 car seats. The specific car seat, My Ride 65, was produced between May and August 2014. According to CNN, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the webbing of the car seat failed to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The agency found that the car seat did not properly restrain a child in the event of a crash.
“In the event of a serious motor vehicle crash, the harness webbing restraining the child may break resulting in a child not being properly restrained,” the agency reported. Graco researched the issue and found the problem to stem from a single piece of weak webbing. Graco will notify owners of the My Ride 65 and provide them with a new harness, free of charge. The recall is expected to start July 17, 2017.
Graco’s recent recall on car seats brings attention to children’s safety in the car. According to AAA, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for all children. Parents need to do everything they can to ensure their young children are safe in car seats. Car seats can save young children even during minor accidents.
All people in a vehicle need to be properly restrained by a seatbelt or a car seat to help prevent injury or death during an unexpected accident. As stated by AAA, “Car seats reduce the risk of injury by 71% to 82% and reduced the risk of death by 28% in comparison to children in seat belts alone.” Children who are safely fastened into car seats are at a much less risk of injury than those who are only wearing seat belts.
Car seats for children should not be optional, but unfortunately, they are. A study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that, “In one year, 618,000 children ages 0-12 rode in vehicles without the use of a car seat, booster seat, or a seat belt at least some of the time.” Parents need to be reminded of the consequences car accidents could have on their children; proper car seats can save children’s lives.
For more information on the recall or to find out if you might be eligible to file a Kentucky product liability lawsuit for a car seat that malfunctioned and caused your child to become injured, get in touch with Thomas Law Offices. Our Louisville personal injury firm has the experience your case requires. Get in touch to learn more.