Britax has issued a defective product recall for 14,220 Chaperone Infant Car Seats due to ineffective harness straps. According to a safety alert posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the car seats, which were sold in the United States, have a defective harness adjuster. The seats were manufactured from September 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011. The recall is intended to address a defective rivet that attaches the harness adjuster to the car seat. This defective rivet can cause the harness adjuster to detach from the seat, rendering the safety harness straps used to secure an infant in the seat ineffective in the event of a crash.

Car Seat Recall

So far no injuries or fatalities have been reported as a result of this recall. The affected seat models include E9L692J, E9L692K, E9L692L and E9L692M. When the recall begins, Britax will provide consumers and retailers with a repair kit to ensure that the harness adjuster is securely attached. Those who own these recalled car seats are asked to stop using the seats immediately and contact Britax to have the issue resolved. For more information, please call Britax Child Safety Inc. at 1-888-427-4829.

Products Liability Issues

Car seats, both infant and booster seats, are meant to keep children secure while traveling in vehicles. But, according to the Consumer Watch, a child safety advocacy group, car seats are often found to be defective. In 2010 alone, at least 360 injuries were reported as a result of defective car seats. These injuries included head trauma and lacerations. Car seats are often recalled for issues with the carrier handles coming loose and allowing the infant to fall when the carrier is used outside of a car. This is not the first recall for Britax in the last few years. In November 2010, Britax recalled about 23,000 of its Chaperone infant car seats for defective harness chest clips that can break and pose a laceration and choking hazard for young children.

There is no question that car seats keep children safe in the event of a car accident. However, when car seats are defective, it can result in catastrophic injuries or death. If your child has been injured due to a defective car seat, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled product liability lawsuits.