Experts share tips on how to spot a fake car seat
Sep 3, 2024, 1:13 PM
Child safety advocates at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital warn that they've seen an uptick in fake and counterfeit car seats. (Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital)
(Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital)
SALT LAKE CITY — Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital’s child safety advocates are seeing an uptick of fake and counterfeit car seats coming through their doors.
Two weeks after giving birth to her baby, Jillian Davis discovered a shocking truth: the new car seat her dad bought from Walmart’s website was a fake.
While securing her baby in the seat, a hospital car seat tech spotted the issues.
“My first thought was how have I never heard of this? And what did I miss?” Davis said.
“There was a clasp missing on the front. And there was a clasp on the back that was missing so that could adjust the straps,” Davis said.
How to spot a fake car seat
Although Davis’ dad got the car seat from Walmart’s website, he found out it actually came from a third-party seller.
Child safety advocates at Primary Children’s said that’s something to avoid.
So how can parents ensure their car seats are real?
The first step to getting a legitimate car seat is buying directly from reputable stores and manufacturers.
Experts also pointed out that legitimate car seats should have warning labels in both English and Spanish, with correct spelling.
Another dead giveaway; authentic car seats feature a five-point harness, not a single buckle.
Advocates said parents wanting to check their car seats can find a technician through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Parents can also schedule an in-person or virtual car seat check through Primary Children’s Hospital.
