Evenflo Recalls 1 Million Discovery Infant Car Seats
Baby product manufacturer Evenflo Company Inc. is voluntarily recalling 1 million Discovery Infant Car seats. The recall comes after Evenflo and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tested the child safety seats. They discovered that during high impact side collisions, the car seat can come off or break apart,which could cause serious injuries or death if either were to occur in real life.
So far, there are no reported injuries related to this recall. Evenflo says it will provide a dual-hook fastener to registered owners so the child car seat will stay intact in the event of a similar collision. The Discovery Infant Car seats that are part of the recall were manufactured between April 2005 and January 2008. They include models 552, 534, 391, and 390.
Evenflo has voluntarily recalled other infant car seats before. Last year, the baby product manufacturer recalled over 450,000 Embrace Infant car seats following 679 reported incidents that involved seat handles on car seats releasing suddenly without warning. 160 injuries were reported, including two concussions and a skull fracture.
Last week, the NHTSA announced it will set up a new child seat rating system for parents shopping for child car seats. The new system will include an assessment for “ease of use,” in terms of how easy the seat is to install and use, the clarity of instruction manuals, and product labeling.
When used properly, the NHTSA says that child car safety seat systems reduce fatal injuries for toddlers and infants by more than 50% in cars and by nearly 60% in SUVs.
When child car safety seats are defective, however, those safety numbers can go down. In the last 7 years, millions of child car seats have been recalled because of defects, including:
• Defective seat handles
• Defective shoulder straps
• Weakly constructed car seats
• Flammable product pieces
• Defective harnesses
• Defective seatbelt slots
Our products liability law firm represents the families of children who have been injured or killed while using a defective product. Our product safety lawyers have successfully handled many injury cases involving auto accidents, defective motor vehicle-related products, and injuries to minors.
One million Evenflo car seats recalled, CNN.com, February 1, 2008
Read the NHTSA Recall, Office of Defects Investigation, January 31, 2008
New child seat ratings system announced, Sun-Sentinel.com, January 30, 2008
Fall Hazard Prompts NHTSA, CPSC and Evenflo to Announce Recall of Embrace™ Infant Car Seat/Carriers, CPSC.gov, May 10, 2007
Related Web Resources:
List of Recalls and Replacement Parts for Child Restraints, Carseats.org, February 1, 2008 (PDF)
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