Earlier this year, Graco recalled over 4 million forward-facing child seats due to a faulty buckle. The recall was a result of a safety agency investigation that was prompted by complaints from parents, specifically those who complained they had to cut the straps to remove their children from the car seat.
Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is pressuring Graco to recall an additional 1.8 million more car seats the NHTSA has deemed dangerous. Graco is claiming the rear-facing seats do not need to be recalled because even if the buckle was difficult to release, the part of the seat holding the child could be removed from the base and quickly removed from the car.
NHTSA claims it “believes that the hazards and risks involved in the delay of extricating a child from a rear-facing infant car seat in any emergency situation are significantly increased and rise to the level of unreasonable risk when the harness buckle is difficult to open or is stuck in a latched condition.” As a result, a series of tests have been ordered to see how long a malfunctioning buckle would delay freeing a child during an emergency. Graco is working with industry experts and the NHTSA to reach an agreement.
When someone is injured or dies due to product’s malfunction, financial recovery may be available. Such recovery is particularly important when permanent, life changing injuries are incurred. It is important to contact someone who understands the intricacies of the party’s right to recover. Abraham Watkins offers a free consultation to anyone wishing to pursue such claims.