Which? safety alert on children's car seat

jjjggg333

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

powerful_Rogue

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

Ergates

Manxman_in_exile said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

I suppose that as the maximum speed limit is 70mph then Which? weren't doing the job properly by only testing at 40...

I suspect there comes a point where no amount of car seat design will make a crash survivable, and I suspect that point comes before 70mph.

jjjggg333

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

powerful_Rogue

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

What have you done with your old car seat now?

jjjggg333

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

What have you done with your old car seat now?

I've stored it at home in case Pramworld ask for me to return it, if my persistence pays off.

powerful_Rogue

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

What have you done with your old car seat now?

I've stored it at home in case Pramworld ask for me to return it, if my persistence pays off.

So it's an actual return for a refund you are looking for?

You could have purchased a car seat that had the 'Swedish Plus Test originally.

jjjggg333

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

What have you done with your old car seat now?

I've stored it at home in case Pramworld ask for me to return it, if my persistence pays off.

So it's an actual return for a refund you are looking for?

You could have purchased a car seat that had the 'Swedish Plus Test originally.

Yes, I'd like to return the seat for a refund or voucher.

I wish I'd bought a car seat that had the Swedish Plus Test. As I say, the new information from Which? is not something I was aware of until very recently. I assumed car seat safety was taken more seriously than the regulations suggest.

flowerapplerabbit

@powerful_Rogue with all due respect, I don't think you have all the information on this one. Yes you have to pay for Which! to see the full report, but the safety alert is free for anyone to read. They also detail exactly why they test at 40mph not 70mph, again free to read (I'm not able to post the link): 
"We are sometimes asked why we don't crash-test car seats at 70mph.  A crash at this speed would most likely overload the vehicle structure, so the effectiveness of any safety features such as seat belts, airbags and child car seats would be severely compromised. With our crash tests we aim to find a severe enough impact that covers a large proportion of the fatal and seriously injured accidents we see, so we can make the most significant difference possible."


I'm talking about the safety of my two year old here, and having to shell out hundreds of pounds which I don't easily have. Not sure why you're taking such a combative tone.

powerful_Rogue

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

jjjggg333 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

flowerapplerabbit said:

Came on to ask this exact same question. The minimum legal requirement only crash tests seats at 30mph, pretty poor really. Which! test at 40mph so if a car seat has failed this then it isn't a safe product, regardless of the company's obligations. They really should show a lot of good will in this situation. Am very interested to hear how you get on jjjggg333, please do let us know. 

Why should they? They have sold a seat that meets the legal requirment. The time to ask questions is before you purchase, not after then expect money back.

We couldn't ask a question about a safety test that hadn't been carried out - new information has come to light.

Whether or not they should or shouldn't legally (we understand they don't have to), I'm not happy to put my young child in a seat that is dangerous at 40mph. And so it seems sensible to ask the question.

Of course you could have. You could have contacted Chicco and asked them about safety tests they conducted on the seat etc. How does the seat become dangerous at 40mph? Also all crashes are different.

Can't be that much of an issue if Which? make you pay to see this information.

TBH in the run up to the birth of my first child, trying to consider all the different crash scenarios and the need to contact manufacturers of car seats to ask how their seats perform at 10mph quicker than the legal requirements had not occurred to me.

So you could have gained the information, but didn't. Again, if this is such a concern, why do Which? not make this information available to all, not just those that pay a monthly fee?

Presuming you have now binned the car seat and purchased a replacement that has been tested to 40mph? However, what when Which? carry out a test saying it's no good at 50mph?

The info wouldn't have been available. And yes, I have purchased a replacement - a Swedish brand which adheres to the highest of any standard. This should ensure it also passes any Which? safety test in future.

Swedish Plus Test

Many of our Extended Rear-Facing (ERF) seats have the additional Swedish Plus Test Approval. This test is not mandatory. It is conducted at a higher speed and shorter braking distance than the European standards ECE R44 and R129 to represent a more realistic crash situation. 

What have you done with your old car seat now?

I've stored it at home in case Pramworld ask for me to return it, if my persistence pays off.

So it's an actual return for a refund you are looking for?

You could have purchased a car seat that had the 'Swedish Plus Test originally.

Yes, I'd like to return the seat for a refund or voucher.

I wish I'd bought a car seat that had the Swedish Plus Test. As I say, the new information from Which? is not something I was aware of until very recently. I assumed car seat safety was taken more seriously than the regulations suggest.

So who have you actually approached, just  the manufacturer or the retailer? Not that it will make much difference.

Car seat safety is taken seriously, that's why we have legal requirments attached to them.