VERIFY: Can add-on products used with car seats be unsafe?

QUESTION:

Can add-on products used with car seats be unsafe?

ANSWER:

Experts say yes, this is true.

SOURCES:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Benjamin Hoffman MD FAAP CPST-I: Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Director, Doernbecher Tom Sargent Safety Center

PROCESS:

Facebook is a great way for people to share helpful warnings, but it's hard to know what's real and what's just hype, our Verify team is here is with one involving our children's safety.

An Atlanta mom racked up over 140,000 shares with her Facebook post warning. It said her 3-month-old was tossed from her car seat during a crash because these add-on sheep skin seatbelt covers caused the baby to slip out.

WUSA9 News researchers went to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and an injury prevention specialist to get the facts.

Doernbecher Tom Sargent Safety Center Medical Director and Oregon Health and Science University Professor of Pediatrics, Benjamin Hoffman, told the Verify team when it comes to car seats, "If the car seat comes as original equipment with those strap pads or covers, they've been tested and meet all of the safety standards so we can be certain that they're safe...however a lot of pads that are out there haven't tested, they're sold separately from the car seat, from a totally different manufacturer."

The mother that posted the viral warning of the February 2018 incident, confirmed to WUSA9 News researchers the car seat strap covers did not come with the equipment of the car seat, she purchased those strap covers from a separate company.

The NHTSA agreed saying if those pads don't come with the original car seat, they just aren't fully safe, the add-on product can force the harness chest clip to slide out of position.

An add-on product is anything that is attached to the restraint that did not originally come with the restraint. Some add-on products may void the manufacturer’s warranty and liability. Some child safety seats provide shoulder pads that can be added to the shoulder straps. If used, the pads must be properly positioned on the child’s shoulders. Read the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use.

So we verified this mom's warning post is one to listen up to because legit.

The NHTSA also explains add-on products may void the manufacturer's warranty and liability

But there is help for parents out there. Hoffman said there's certified passenger safety technicians who would love to work with families to help them understand how to use their car seat more safely and protect kids.