In the U.S., one out of every two men and one out of every three women will develop cancer in their lifetime. I became one of those people in 2003 when, at the age of 24, I was diagnosed with cancer. It is five years later and I am still dealing with the disease and the complications I have encountered from my treatments.
My way of fighting back against cancer is to do something about it...
A new breed of booster has emerged in the last year. Some belt positioning boosters may now come equipped with flexible or rigid LATCH lower anchor attachments. This may seem confusing. However, the lower anchors are designed to keep the booster seat secured when your child is NOT riding in it. It should be made clear that these booster seats still require the use of a lap/shoulder belt to properly restrain the child. Two examples include the Clek Olli and the Jane Indy.
The issue we’ve found is that in some vehicles, manufacturers have installed offset lower LATCH anchors. This means that the lower LATCH anchors are not centered in a seating position...
We just returned from Lifesavers 2008 in Portland, Oregon. Among other things, this conference focuses on car seat safety. Unlike the ABC Conference in Las Vegas which is geared to retailers, this conference focuses on car seat technicians and the challenges they face.
One topic we addressed was the 30 lb booster seat issue. Booster use is rising as states are requiring parents to use boosters or higher-weight harnesses to increased ages, weights and heights. This provides manufacturers a more robust market for selling...
Continue reading "30 lb booster seats: It's time for a change (PART 2)" »
On our trip out to Portland for the Lifesavers 2008 conference, we were surrounded by parents and kids. I was ready with my Bose noise canceling headphones, but alas.. no need. These kids were pretty well behaved. Two infants, two toddlers, one four year old, but no seats.
We asked the flight attendant for a completely unscientific estimate of how many infants travel in seats on her flights. She guessed about 5%. Based on her rock solid numbers, we thought 95% non-use was worth a post. Let's cut to the chase.
Here are the most commonly cited reasons for not using a seat on the plane:
1. Too expensive to buy extra seat or two (most airlines don't give discounts for an extra seat)...
Remember when you were a kid? Maybe a lap belt, but often nothing. Sprawled across the back dash or wrestling in the back seat... this is what I remember. We had no worries, and apparently neither did our parents. But some did employ the latest technology to inject a little known thing called "safety" into our little lives.
When you look at these pictures, safety seems like a strong word, but this is where our industry started. We've come a long way. Car seats save lives, but not as many as they could. For now, let's laugh at where we started and be thankful to these pioneers.
If you have some great pictures, please send them in. Thanks to Carole, N. + Flickr for the pics.
No Safety Squad clients are affected by this recall. Discovery Model 3021769Z & 3021854Z |
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Attention Evenflo Model 3021769Z and 3021854Z Car Seat Owners
If you purchased an Evenflo Model "302Z" Discovery Infant Car Seat during March 11-21, 2008 at a local Wal-Mart or Target Store, please contact Evenflo immediately. |
Continue reading "Recall Notice: Discovery Model 3021769Z & 3021854Z" »
We like to read parenting forums to see what parents are saying about car seats. Forums are a tremendous resource for parenting information, but when it comes to car seats... forums can sometimes be misleading.
Recently, we found a discussion about expiration dates that referenced an entry on our site. The original poster in the discussion rightly tried to raise awareness of the expiration date issue and pointed readers in the right direction for correct information.
In the next comment, a different poster said that her specific car seat was manufactured at a certain date and was good for 10 years. She then said
The New York Times article on the "catastrophic"' failure of the Evenflo seats and the need for better testing is welcomed attention. More regulation in this area will reduce injuries, but it shouldn't reduce recalls. The problem lies in the broad strokes that all parties paint when it comes to the word "Recall".
Recall used to mean, at least in our minds, that a company would replace an item that had failed to operate properly. Either it failed in testing or in actual use. It seemed pretty clear that recalls were bad and if you own the product recalled, it should have been replaced.
But what we have experienced over the last few years is a movement towards education through recalls. The article states that 11 recalls occurred on 2007. This may be true...
Graco® has determined that eighteen child restraint systems were sold with foam sewn in the seat pad which does not meet Graco's specification for U.S. car seats. This foam is 1.5 inches thick versus the specified 1 inch thick foam. Child restraints with 1.5 inch foam have not been tested and are not certified so, it is unclear as to what impact this foam will have on compliance to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, Child Restraint Systems, and on child seat safety.
Graco® has determined that a limited number of CarGo™ child restraint systems were manufactured with the incorrect National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA”) Hotline telephone number. This telephone number appears on an information label affixed to the back of the child restraint. The correct Hotline number is 1-888-327-4236 not the 1-888-427-4236 printed on the label. The NHTSA Hotline telephone number in the owner’s manual is correct.
This issue does NOT affect the ability of the child restraint system to protect the occupant in the event of a motor vehicle crash.
Continue reading "Recall Notice: Graco Treasured CarGo and Ultra CarGo" »
We tend to blog about challenges or trends we see, but what about all those questions you have? Post a comment with your question and we'll do our best to answer it :)
Combi USA, Inc. of Fort Mill, SC has decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall of the Centre, Centre ARB and Shuttle (Model # 8065, 8074, 8086, 8087and 8520) and associated Travel Systems containing Centre and Shuttle (Model # 4400, 4515, 4520). This recall includes the entire production of this model from October 2005 through December 2007. No other models are affected.
Read more about this recall Download Combi.pdf
All Safety Squad clients have been notified
Welcome to all the Daily Candy readers! We have received quite a bit of traffic today and wanted to provide some quick answers to common questions about our services. Please click on "JUST THE FACTS" to find out about scheduling and pricing or for detailed descriptions, click on "FAMILY SERVICES". Thanks.
Installing a car seat is much like a "Choose your own Adventure" book from the eighties and nineties...are you still with me? If not, these books allowed you to take different paths to arrive at multiple endings, both good and bad. This is similar to the choices you take during a car seat installation. Let me stop here and say, 'With proper instruction you can learn the right choices and arrive at a great ending" .
Each step leads to a choice and that path leads to another. Eventually, you can arrive at a conclusion, but in this real-life adventure your particular ending can look and feel good, but still be wrong. Like the books you can have more than one good ending, but these endings don't happen by accident.
Both seat belt and LATCH installations can be correct in certain...
Before you bought your car seat, you checked with friends, family, searched the web and decided on a seat that had great reviews and even scored well on the "Ease of Use" charts. There were so many choices, but you picked a Graco or Britax or maybe a Peg Perego, to name a few. So why after all that research is your car seat so hard to use?
The same is true when you bought your car or SUV. Saab, BMW, Lexus, Honda, Mercedes, Toyota and others score well in crash ratings and come packed with dozens of safety features, but when you try to install that great car seat into your great car it doesn't feel or fit right.
First of all, it's not you. You are a parent that has cared...
Here is a quick tip that might save your life. Secure your booster seats when your kids are not using them. They are missles in a crash. When not in use and if you can't secure them in a covered storage area like a trunk or covered hatch, seat belt the booster seat with the lap and shoulder harness like you would your child. Additionally, if you have a switchable retractor (check your vehicle manual), pull the shoulder belt out fully until it stops. It should now only retract and lock. This will tighten the seat down for your travels.
If you happen to have a booster seat with LATCH (i.e. Clek for older kids, Jane), the lower anchor connectors will hold the seat in place when unoccupied. Stay safe.
Recaro North America has issued a recall for its' Como and Signo lines manufactured before December 18th, 2007. The specifics can be found at the following link: Recaro Safety Recall Notice
We were particularly critical of the language used by Recaro in its' previous communication to customers. It should be said that the language used in this recall notice was clear and concise.
All Safety Squad clients with recalled seats are notified.
Parents usually know two things about car seat installation:
1. The middle position in the back seat is safer than the window seats.
2. LATCH installation is supposed to be easier than seat belt installation.
The first statement is true, the second can be true, but regardless most often parents naturally attempt to install their child's car seat using the LATCH anchors in the middle position. This is a logical decision, except that most vehicles don't provide middle position LATCH anchors. In fact, parents are using the inside anchors of the window seat LATCH anchors.
We know... it doesn't seem to make sense. If vehicle manufacturers are required to provide two sets of anchors, why not install one set in the middle? One reason may be that installing two car seats side-by-side using LATCH can be difficult (one middle, one, window). Regardless, the issue remains.
We find that about 90% of vehicles don't have middle LATCH, but about 50% of parents who use LATCH attempt to use LATCH this way. How do you know if you have middle LATCH? Look in your vehicle owners manual. If you can't figure it out, please seek out a CPS Technician. Good luck.
Today, Evenflo issued a voluntary recall of over 1 million seats. Why? Because it makes sense. If your product doesn't do what you say it does, we need to know. The best way to do that is to be as clear and open as possible to make sure parents get the message. Lives are at stake.
This definition is from the Evenflo site:
"What is a Safety Campaign or Recall?
Safety campaigns call the consumer's attention to products that need to
be repaired, modified or replaced after the manufacturing process. Many
times, a simple replacement part may be necessary to improve
performance of the product.
It's important to us that you have the latest news about products or accessories, so we provide a list of current and past safety campaigns for Evenflo products."
By addressing the issue aggressively, your brand will be protected. Then again, if your mission is damage control, you will most likely become an example of what not to do.
A recall will have an impact on the bottom line, but for the right reasons and only temporarily. Britax had 4 recalls last year (Marathon, Decathon, Boulevard, Regent) and is more popular than ever. Why? Because we trust them.
Evenflo Announces
Voluntary Safety Recall of Discovery Infant Car Seat and Provides
Supplemental Fastener to Enhance Safety Performance
VANDALIA, Ohio - February 1, 2008 - Evenflo today announced it is
implementing a voluntary safety recall of its Discovery Infant Car Seat
Models 390, 391, 534, 552. Approximately one million units were
produced beginning April 2005. This is based on recent laboratory tests
conducted by Evenflo and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, which show that this car seat could potentially become
separated from its base in high impact side collisions similar to those
in the tests. As a precautionary measure, Evenflo is providing current
owners of these models with a free supplemental dual-hook fastener that
has proven that the seat remains attached to the base in the event of
such collisions. Additionally,...
The booster issue is fraught with mixed & conflicting messages. Not only do different parties have different messages, but often one party will contradict itself (see our previous booster post). One inconsistency makes us cringe: Lower-weight booster seats. While most
agencies and organizations are pushing for parents to keep their
children in higher-weight 5-point harnesses, the manufacturers of
booster seats are promoting booster seat use starting at thirty pounds. This is
not new, but it needed to be said. Why are parents still being given this message?
Continue reading "30 lb booster seats: It's time for a change" »
One of the reasons we created Safety Squad was to create an independent voice for parents. We sit in a position to see all facets of the industry and form opinions free of influence. Our only loyalty is to parents. We give them a birds eye view, so that they can make informed decisions regarding safety for their family. This is the first in a series of comments on unifying the car seat message.
Before we talk about what is being said, we must first identify who is talking.
In no particular order:
Everyone has their own message. Some are similar, while others are quite different. Either way, the end product is a confusing and conflicted message about how parents should address car seats. It is our mission to create unified message, while allowing individual opinion and enterprise.
Over the last year, we have become increasingly disturbed by the conduct of car seat manufacturers when faced with a possible recall. On the 20th of December, Recaro North America issued a "Consumer Advisory" for the Recaro Como child seat. We are amazed at how poorly they have addressed the issue.
Back Story: Recaro provides robust construction, side-impact protection and style. You pay for those features, but what you get when properly installed, is a safe seat. They have some downsides, but in general, they have a good product and good reputation. That they may have to issue a recall is not a shocker. Every manufacturer eventually has recalls. When handled well they improve the brand, not hurt it.
The following references seatbelt installations not LATCH installations. If you are using LATCH you should not be concerned about the "lock-off" issue being addressed.
Safety Squad works with all types of seats and installations. It's not uncommon for us to install one seat four or more different ways in one vehicle to find the best position. We deal with lock-offs every day and often call manufacturers when something is unclear; if we don't understand...then parents definitely won't. Car seat makers installed lock-offs on seats as a supplement or alternative to locking devices built into vehicles (locking retractors, locking latch plates, etc). Many of the errors parents make when installing seats with seatbelts can be related to locking difficulties. So, car seat makers added lock-offs to make it easier. When a lock-off is used instead of a switchable retractor or latch plate and the lock-off fails the seat will loosen.
Continue reading "Recaro Como Announcement: Part Two, Commentary" »
This is a two-part blog post. The first highlights the consumer advisory itself, while the second looks at how this "Consumer Advisory" is being handled.
http://www.recaro.com/fileadmin/extensions/rec_usa/pics/Child_Safety/Consumer_Advisory.pdf
CONSUMER ADVISORY
RECARO Como Child Seat – ‘LOCK-OFF’/3-PT GUIDE Information
To assist consumers in understanding the function of the 3-point guide (commonly known as a lock-off), RECARO North America has updated the terminology used in product manuals. The term ‘lock-off’ has been replaced with the term ‘3-point guide’, which is a more accurate description of purpose and function of this part in the industry. The purpose of the guide is to improve the child restraint system geometry for certain vehicle applications and does not create any safety advantage or disadvantage whether called a guide or lock-off. The crash safety performance of the Como seat is not affected.
Dorel Juvenile Group Announces a Voluntary Safety Recall for Certain Models of the Cosco® Touriva® Child Restraint
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Columbus, IN December 17, 2007- Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) is announcing a voluntary safety recall for certain Cosco® Touriva® child restraints manufactured from September 28, 2004 through September 20, 2007. There is a potential for the elastic straps that secure the fabric pad to the child restraint shell to come loose and become accessible to the child. The child could then loop the elastic strap around portions of his or her body. There have been no serious injuries reported.
Model numbers affected are:
Cosco® Touriva: 22100TTD, 22100FSM, 22100TIP, 22111FSM, 22130WAL, 93100FSM, 93111FSM
Cosco Regal RideTM: 22139MON
The model number and date of manufacture may be found on a sticker located on the side or back of the child restraint.
DJG will contact all registered owners and at the same time will provide them with a free repair kit. Those consumers who have not registered their product or do not receive the repair kit should visit www.djgusa.com or call 1-888-698-6681 to order a free repair kit. There is no need to return the affected seats to the retailer.
DJG encourages parents to obtain and install the repair kit as soon as possible. Parents may continue to use the child restraint as directed in their instruction manual.
Click here to see if your child restraint is affected by this recall.
