NBC news is reporting this weekend that Britax, a major manufacturer of child car seats, “is recalling 37 models of its car seats due to a potential safety defect that could prevent harnesses from locking.”
In a web article the news organization reports that the recall order effects models built between August 1 of last year and the end of last month. The seats in question “may have a defective harness adjuster button that stays in the ‘release’ position when the harness is tightened, rendering the seat useless.” NBC adds that up to now no injuries to children have been reported as a result of the defect.
For its part, the company’s product recall page (see link below) offers detailed information on how to locate the manufacture date and serial number on Britax car seats and then use those to determine whether or not a particular seat is included in the recall order.
If there is a positive side to this story it is the speed with which this recall order was issued. Some of the car seats in question were manufactured less than three weeks ago. The company deserves some credit for moving quickly to address the issue, in contrast to so many other companies I often find myself writing about in this space which argue the point with regulators and investigators for months, or even years, in an effort to avoid issuing a recall notice.
As a Portland attorney specializing in injuries to children I urge every parent and caregiver reading this to take a close look at the links I’ve offered here and then to examine any and all child seats you may be using. The test now will be to see whether the media, Britax itself and retailers who may still be stocking these dangerous products move aggressively to make parents here in Oregon and around the country aware of the issue.
NBC News: Britax Recalls 37 Car Seat Models Over Potential Safety Defect
Britax Car Seat Recall Web Page