Hospital Officials Warn of Knock-off Car Seats
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Hospital officials in Idaho are warning parents about unsafe, knock-off car seats.
Officials at St. Luke's Children's Hospital recently found two counterfeit car seats, according to a report by KTVB-TV.
St. Luke's Pediatric Education and Prevention Programs car seat technician Brittany Joplin said she came across a bogus car seat during a routine car seat check before discharging a woman and her newborn.
"It's pretty terrifying," Joplin said. "There's no way a child would survive a crash in a seat like this."
All the parts of the counterfeit seat were made of plastic, Joplin said. It also had no chest clip, which is on all car seats in the United States, she said.
Joplin found another knock-off car seat during a free car seat check event at St. Luke's hospital in Meridian.
Joplin and fellow St. Luke's car seat technician Jen Ellis said many counterfeit car seats are sold online, or through third-party vendors.
Ellis and Joplin say a car seat is not legitimate if it is being advertised as "buy one, get one free" or any other deal. They also warn of the language and grammar on the seat.
"If the English used to explain the car seat or any features is jumbled or doesn't use proper grammar, it's another big red flag that it's likely not a legitimate car seat," Joplin said.
St. Luke's Children's car seat technicians hold free car seat checks monthly at each of their three hospitals.
St. Luke's also provides child passenger safety seats for families who may not be able to afford them.