Third party, or home made carseat covers, inserts or pads should not be used on child restraints.
The standard mandates that manufacturers include the following statement in instruction manuals;
VERY IMPORTANT: Only use this child restraint with the cover supplied or a manufacturer-authorized replacement cover with identical shoulder height markers.
InfaSecure has not authorised any third party to manufacture or sell covers for our child restraints.
There are a number of safety issues associated with the use of third party or home made covers, including;
- They rarely (if ever) feature shoulder height markers, which are critical for determining the suitability of a child restraint. Shoulder height marker placement is dictated by the standard, and varies from model to model significantly.
- They rarely (if ever) feature warning labels or belt path indicators, which can lead to serious cases of misuse.
- A cover that has not been specifically designed for the shape of the restraint shell can alter its performance in an accident.
- They may not have undergone anti-flammability treatments.
- They may not meet toxicity requirements.
- They may not meet colour-fastness requirements.
- Their use, which is explicitly against the manufacturer’s instructions, could have a significant impact on liability in the event of injury.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.