A new report underscores the importance of car seats in saving infant and toddler lives in the event of an automobile accident. New research by a California group indicates that the chances of toddlers and infants dying in an accident drop by as much as 75 percent when they are strapped into these safety seats.
Of course we’ve always known that car safety seats are very effective at reducing fatality rates in children who tend to be the most vulnerable victims in the event of a collision, but this study manages to hit home just how important these seats can be to protect their occupants.The two researchers who conducted the study, Thomas Rice and Craig Anderson, analyzed data from nearly 6000 accidents between 1995 and 2006, and compared the information to arrive at some startling statistics. In the case of babies below the age of one year, the odds of dying in a crash declined by as much as 73 percent, while in the 1-2 year age group, the odds of dying went down by 76 percent. 2-3 years olds had a reduced risk of fatality that was close to 60 percent if they were properly restrained in a car seat.
Of course, it goes without saying that these benefits are only valid if the car seats are of high quality, and meet all safety standards for children’s products.There’s no point in having a child strapped in a seat with improper buckles that can snap open in the event of a collision, or one that has defective clips that can slip open, releasing the child from the safety of the seat.Child seats also need to be made of safe materials with sufficient padding that can actually cushion a child from the force of impact during a collision.Stricter standards and demands for more safety features by parents have led manufacturers to design and create safer car seats, but safety issues continue to crop up every year. The unfortunate fact is that these issues come to light only when there is an unfortunate accident that exposes the instability of a defective car seat.
Defective car seats are just one example of how manufacturers can renege on their responsibility to manufacture safe products for consumers.When a defective or dangerous product causes injuries, victims may be able to claim damages from the manufacturer as well as distributors or suppliers of the product.An experienced Atlanta product liability lawyer can help you recover compensation for injuries received from use of a defective product.