PA Car Seat Laws Aim to Offer Added Safety to PA Children

A car seat tops the list of essentials to parents – but faulty seats are on the market

The precautions that parents go through in order to keep their most precious cargo safe go without saying. As parents, you trust that the manufacturer of your car seat has done its due diligence in assuring that its product will protect your child. Why would you assume otherwise Sadly, this is not always the case. In fact, car seats malfunctions, car seat recalls, and improper installation of car seats have lead to countless injuries in PA.

Has a Faulty Car Seat Caused Injury to Your Child?

Car seats literally save lives; that cant be argued. But, when a car seat is recalled because it fails to do its job, childrens lives are endangered. Children could lose their lives or could become permanently disabled. Added to the devastation of an accident, the recovery and the physical and emotional toll can become too much to bear. If your car seat had a defective latch, or lacked the necessary padding, or failed in any way to keep your child safe in an accident, and now you are dealing with the aftermath, you need an attorney to see you through these trying times.

No parent should ever have to bury a child, and no parent should have to sit idly by and watch a child struggle to acclimate to life with a permanent disability especially when the proper means of protection was put into place to avoid such happenings. As a consumer and especially as a parent, you have the responsibility to go after any one who put your child in harms way. ?Regardless of the scope of your childs injuries from a faulty car seat, you need to seek compensation. If your child has been hurt as a result of a faulty car seat, you have no choice but to seek an attorney who will remain committed to your childs every need.

Pennsylvanias Newly Revised Car Seat Law

Luckily for residents of PA, lawmakers understand the importance of keeping kids safe. ?State leaders have decided to use data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to begin modify and adjust PA car seat laws. Recently, PA Senator Pat Browne (Rep) sponsored Senate Bill 1152 advocating for stricter car seat laws in PA. He credits his commitment to the bill to the advisement he received from the National Highway Traffic Safety Associations (NHTSA) 2011 report. According the research conducted by both the NHTSA and backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under the age of 2 years old are 75% less likely to be severely injured or killed if they are in a rear-facing position at the time of an accident.

Governor Tom Wolf publicly backed Brownes efforts on Monday, June 13, when he officially signed Senate Bill 152, also known as Act 43. The new law adds language to its predecessor. Now in addition to children age four and under being required to ride in federally approved car seats, children ages 2 and under must ride in a rear facing car seat. The law states that children under the age of two are, to be securely fastened in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system, which is to be used until the child outgrows the maximum weight and limits designated by the manufacturer.

The law was put into place to protect children and educate parents about the best safety protocol. In order to assure parents fully understand this new act, penalties for violating it will include verbal warnings for the first year following approval of the bill. After that, fines will be assessed in accordance with 75 Pa.C.S. 4581(a)(1)(ii), which can include up to a $75 fine.

Why You Need an Attorney if Your Child Has Been Harmed Due to a Faulty Car Seat

PA is breaking ground in advocating for child vehicle safety theres no questioning this. But when the poor choices of others or when the irresponsibility of big business puts your child in harms way, new car seats laws are not going to protect your child. You need an attorney to do that. Recovery from any accident can be long and painful. Throw in dealing with insurance companies and running from hospitals to doctors to physical therapists, and your life will quickly become consumed with doing everything you can to get your child on the path to a normal and happy life.

What about your job? How will you pay your bills?

This is why its crucial that you seek out an attorney to help both you and your child through these trying times. An experienced injury attorney knows what to except when it comes to accident recovery. He can guide you through the process and assure that you are compensated fully so that your childs’ recovery is not compromised. Simply put, a good attorney will see to it that you never settle for second best when it comes to your childs recovery from injuries caused by a faulty car seat. Dont allow faulty car seat manufactures to get away with robbing your child of a carefree and pain free childhood. Contact the right personal injury lawyer today.

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