What all parents should know about seat back failures

Even though modern cars, pickup trucks and SUVs have hundreds of safety features, they remain risky for young passengers. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 14.

To decrease the risk to the young one in your family, you must secure him or her in an appropriate car seat or booster seat. Because frontal airbags can be deadly to kids, you should also place the seat in the back of your vehicle. Still, if your front seat fails during a collision, your child may suffer a catastrophic injury.

What is a seat back failure?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publishes requirements for front seat stability. Regrettably, though, these standards have not changed since the 1960s. Even if a car manufacturer’s seat design passes NHTSA muster, the seat may be too weak to stay upright during an accident.

If the mechanism that holds your front seat in place breaks, the seat may collapse onto a child who is sitting in the backseat. Because your car’s front seats are probably heavier than you think, a seat back collapse may cause your child to suffer fractures, organ damage or crush injuries.

How can you prevent a catastrophe?

Always leaving your son or daughter at home is not a solution. Therefore, to reduce the risk of injury due to seatback failure, you should place your child’s car or booster seat behind a vacant front seat whenever possible.

Ultimately, if your child suffers a life-altering injury because of a seat back failure, you may be eligible for financial compensation to help you obtain the right treatment.