71,000 Britax Infant Car Seats Recalled for Defective Handles that Pose a Safety RiskBritax has issued a recall of more than 71,000 infant safety seats in the U.S., 3,900 in Canada and more than 900 in Mexico due to defective handles that can crack and break, which can cause the seat to fall to the ground. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) have announced the recall of the B-Safe 35, the B-Safe 35 Elite, and the B-Safe 35 Travel system. They are advising consumers to stop carrying the car seat by the handle. So far, one child is reported to have received a bump on the head when the handle broke and the car seat fell.

Parents who have registered their safety seat with Britax will automatically receive a repair kit. If you are a parent who has purchased one of these car seats but did not register it, you can sign up to receive the repair kit at the Britax product recall website, bsafe35recall.com. The carrier is still safe to use when it has been bucked into a vehicle, or when it has been attached to the stroller.

This recall is just another example of what happens when a product manufacturer releases a product for sale to consumers, and then that product turns out to have some kind of defect that compromises the safety of the product. According to products liability law, manufacturers are required to make sure that the products that they make and sell do what they promise they will do, and that they do not cause harm to the end consumer. By issuing the recall and warning consumers not to hold the car seat by the handle, the manufacturer is fulfilling their obligation to the consumer to protect their safety when using their product. In this case, the fix was simple enough that it could be done at home by the consumer using kit that the manufacturer can send through the mail.

In the event that a consumer receives an injury caused by a defective product, they may be able to take legal action against the manufacturer to recover compensation for their injuries and any other losses.

Parents who own an infant car safety seat and want to be informed of any other product recalls may sign up to receive free notifications from SaferCar.gov. You can sign up with your email address and you will receive notifications of new recall that might affect you. If you do not have another safety seat to use, keep using the seat you have while you receive the repair kit if the recall notice says that it is safe to continue to use the seat.

If you or your child has received an injury from using any kind of consumer project, you may want to consult with a products liability attorney to discuss your case.