Safety Advisory: NHTSA Urges Parents and Caregivers Not to Use or Purchase Car Seats That Don’t Comply With U.S. Standards

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
13 November 2019

Federal safety experts today urged consumers to avoid using or purchasing car seats for their child that do not meet federal safety standards.

On October 29, 2019, a concerned pediatrician alerted the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about safety concerns regarding child seats being sold in the United States. Parents and caregivers should be aware of signs that a car seat does not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and may pose significant risk to an infant or other vehicle occupant in the event of a crash. Some of these telltale signs may include seats without lower anchor attachments, without proper labeling, lacking a chest clip, or only secured by a seat belt crossed over the seat and not correctly installed.
 
NHTSA urges the public not to use or purchase child car seats that do not meet the FMVSS safety standards. For more information visit our Car Seats and Booster Seats section, and check out our ease-of-use car seat ratings.

The public is encouraged to report suspected safety issues and concerns about car seats or other child restraints to NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or by filing a non-vehicle complaint.