Carseat after a minor car wreck

[LuxPerpetua]

Our car wreck actually happened a while ago (like last year, I think) and at the time it didn't even occur to me that we may need to consider getting another seat.  It was a minor wreck (dh rear-ended someone, going about 20 mph) with damage only to the front of the car.  It's a small sedan, and dd (age 6) sits in a Graco Nautilus in the center of the back seat.  There was no damage to the sides or rear of the car.  Dd was not in her seat at the time of the wreck.  Should we look into getting a new Nautilus?  $200 is hard for us to dish out, which is why I'm hesitant.  What are your thoughts?

[TiredX2]

Here is the official NHTSA position:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/RestraintReUse.htm

NHTSA recommends that child safety seats be replaced following a moderate or severe crash in order to ensure a continued high level of crash protection for child passengers.

• NHTSA recommends that child safety seats do not automatically need to be replaced following a minor crash.

• Minor crashes are those that meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site;

  • The vehicle door nearest the safety seat was undamaged;

  • There were no injuries to any of the vehicle occupants;

  • The air bags (if present) did not deploy; AND

  • There is no visible damage to the safety seat

[Maedze]

The NHTSA policy does not apply to Graco seats.  Graco requires that the seat be replaced after a crash of any severity.  A 20 mph crash is quite significant.  30 mph is considered very serious, and over 35=expect fatalities even if everyone is correctly restrained.  

[LuxPerpetua]

Thanks so much!

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by Maedze 

The NHTSA policy does not apply to Graco seats.  Graco requires that the seat be replaced after a crash of any severity.  A 20 mph crash is quite significant.  30 mph is considered very serious, and over 35=expect fatalities even if everyone is correctly restrained.  

Thanks for the info about Graco!

As for the other--- really?  How would you measure those speeds?  That doesn't make sense to me that over 35 mph crash you would expect fatalities given the accidents I know people have been in (I mean, that I have been in or people I know have been in with no fatalities or even big injuries).
 

[Maedze]

People often greatly overestimate the speed the crash occurred.  They call the speed they were traveling at prior to impact the speed of the crash.  But generally, people brake and slow down quite dramatically prior to actual impact.  

A full 35 mph crash with no braking is an absolutely catastrophic impact.

Originally Posted by TiredX2 

Thanks for the info about Graco!

As for the other--- really?  How would you measure those speeds?  That doesn't make sense to me that over 35 mph crash you would expect fatalities given the accidents I know people have been in (I mean, that I have been in or people I know have been in with no fatalities or even big injuries).
 

[LuxPerpetua]

I was estimating the 20 mph because that is the speedlimit for that road, but dh impacted another stopped car after turning out of a sideroad, so he was going much less than that.  However, we did just order her a new Nautilus.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by Maedze 

People often greatly overestimate the speed the crash occurred.  They call the speed they were traveling at prior to impact the speed of the crash.  But generally, people brake and slow down quite dramatically prior to actual impact.  

A full 35 mph crash with no braking is an absolutely catastrophic impact.

That's really interesting!  I'd love to see a simple chart or something like that (if it even exists).  I'm interested in a lot of stuff, though, and *love* random factoids lol.

[Maedze]

If you want to go digging, NHTSA has some stuff on how and why the crash sled tests are conducted at 30/35 mph.  

[Aliviasmom]

Oh the irony!  I was in a car accident 12/19/11.  Also a Graco Nautilus and also no child in the car seat during the accident.  (Thankfully!!)  I'm currently trying to get the insurance company to replace it.  This information helps a lot!