Car Seat FAQs

What is LATCH?
Is there any hard and fast car seat safety tips?
Why are car seats so problematic?
How do I know if the car seat is installed properly?
Which car safety seat is the best?
Can my premature baby ride in a car safety seat?
Can I afford a child car seat lawsuit?

What is LATCH?
LATCH or Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children are a universal connection system for child car seats and passenger vehicles in which connectors on the car seat attach to metal anchors in the car.

Is there any hard and fast car seat safety tips?

Always use a car seat. All states require car seats for children under 4 years old. Many require booster seats for older children.

When possible, position the car seat in the center of the back seat which is the safest place in a vehicle, even if that means attaching the car seat with the car safety belt and not the LATCH system.

Never install a car seat using both the LATCH strap and the vehicle’s safety belt. This restricts the belts from absorbing crash energy.

Don't buy a used seat. You won't know if it's been in an accident and because the product isn't registered in your name, you won't receive recall notices. Also, car seats have an expiration date from the manufacturer because after about six years, the plastic can dry out and degrade, making seats more prone to cracks. Experts say you should not use a car seat after being in a moderate to serious crash because car seats are made to withstand only one serious accident. However, the NHTSA has recently revised its guidelines with respect to minor accidents and now say that if you were able to drive away, if the airbags did not deploy, and if the door nearest the child's car seat was not damaged, it's safe to keep using your existing car seat.

Why are car seats so problematic?
Choosing a car seat can still be a confounding experience. People still complain about how difficult it is to ensure that they buy a car seat that fits their vehicle. The owner's manual may say one thing, but the car seat instructions may say another. And many SUVs and wagons have anchor points that are located in the cargo bay, making installation more difficult and potentially interfering with cargo storage.

To complicate matters, the widths of car seats vary by make and model, and can change over time. In the United States, consumers have a lot of choices which makes standardization difficult.

How do I know if the car seat is installed properly?
Do not rely on the store clerk to determine if your car seat is installed correctly. Although well meaning, they are not trained to inspect. You can find a technician or inspection station on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Web site or by calling your local police department.

Properly installed and used, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injuries by as much as 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. Unfortunately, national studies show that as many as 90 percent of car seats are not installed or used correctly.

Which car safety seat is the best?
There is no best car safety seat. The best car seat is the one that fits your child's size, is correctly installed, and is used properly every time you get into the car. When shopping for a car safety seat, don't let price influence your decision. Higher prices can mean added features that may or may not make the seat safer or easier to use. All car safety seats in the United States must meet very strict safety standards established and maintained by the federal government. Yet, there are plenty of recalls.

When you find a car seat you like, try it out. Put your child in the car seat and adjust the harnesses and buckles. Make sure the car seat fits properly and securely in your car. Keep in mind that pictures or displays of car safety seats in stores may not show them being used the right way.

Can my premature baby ride in a car safety seat?
Yes, but proceed with caution. Use a car safety seat without a shield harness. Shields often are too high and too far from the body to fit correctly. A small baby's face could hit a shield in a crash. Premature infants should be observed in their car safety seats while still in the hospital to make sure the reclined position does not cause low heart rate, low oxygen, or breathing problems. If your baby needs to lie flat during travel, use a crash-tested car bed. If possible, an adult should ride in the back seat next to your baby and watch closely.

Can I afford a child car seat lawsuit?
A child car seat lawsuit costs you nothing. If Anapol Schwartz agrees to be retained, we take your case on a percentage contingency basis. If you don’t win your child or infant car seat lawsuit, we don’t get paid. We’re motivated to win. Are you?

Contact us for your free legal car seat consultation