Study suggests kids are at high risk from second-hand child car seats

Parental oversight on child car seats could put children at higher risk from collisions, a study finds

Study suggests kids are at high risk from second-hand child car seats

Insurance News

By Lyle Adriano

The latest survey from the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) has found that many parents are unwittingly taking too many risks when bringing their children along on automobile rides due to poor safety habits and unsafe choices relating to child car seats.

The survey, conducted by Insights West for the association, tracked the views and personal behaviors of BC parents as they drive around with their children.

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Although the survey confirms that most parents - 66% - install their child car seats on their own, many do not perform regular checks on the seats: 51% of parents admitted that they miss on ensuring that the seats are properly secured. Another 21% answered that they are not certain that their child is properly installed in the specialty seat while 17% of the survey’s participants said that they are not sure if the seat is even correct for their child’s age and weight.

Only 25% of the parents surveyed said that they had their child car seat checked by a certified expert.

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“We were surprised with the survey results because at every one of our car seat clinics, we find so many seats improperly installed, kids in the wrong type of seat, second-hand seats, and worried parents baffled after realizing how much they don’t know,” commented BCAA Community Impact senior manager Shawn Pettipas. “The bottom line is that many parents simply don’t know what they don’t know and may be making mistakes.”

The matter of second-hand child car seats was also brought up by the survey. Fifty per cent believe that it is safe to use a second-hand seat, as long as it is in “good condition.” Nearly one in five of the respondents (18%) said that they use a second-hand child car seat, which they procured either from family, friends, or through second-hand purchases online. More troubling, 29% of parents who answered the survey admitted that they do not know the history of the second-hand seat they use.

“Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it’s safe,” said Pettipas. “Not knowing the full history of a second-hand car seat means parents can’t be absolutely certain of the seat’s condition and this can put their kid at risk.”


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