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These Car Seats Have Been Recalled Due To Faulty Safety Belts

by Gillian Walters

On Thursday, Diono recalled 500,000 of its car seats due to potential safety issues, according to The Washington Post. Considering car seats are a big component of child car safety, it's imperative that parents stay informed about the latest car seat recalls. That being said, here's how to tell if you Diono car seat was recalled.

Diono tells Romper in an email: "As a result of Diono’s rigorous quality control, and ongoing product testing, we have established that if our convertible child safety seat is installed forward facing in vehicles with a lap-belt (type 1) only without top tether, it crosses into a technical non-compliance. If our convertible child safety seat is being used with a lap and shoulder safety belt (type 2) or with our Super LATCH system, or top tether, the child safety seat is unaffected. Please Note: In September of 2005 a law passed requiring a three-point belt in every back seat for all cars manufactured after 2007 – most vehicle manufacturers complied well before that date. The Diono safety team is ready to assist any concerns, questions and inquiries from concerned parents, customers or advocates who need our support while we implement this voluntary recall. A toll-free number has been set up for any consumer inquiries 1-855-215-4951."

According to Consumer Affairs, Diono is "recalling 519,052 Radian R100, Radian R120, Radian RXT, Olympia, Pacifica, and Rainier convertible and booster car seats" starting on Nov. 22. According to an Oct. 6 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recalled car seats might not properly protect children in the event of a car crash. As for why this is the case, look no further than the seat's lap belt. According to CTV News, "when the seats are secured using a lap belt without the top tether, children over 65 pounds have an increased risk of chest injury in a crash."

The good news here is that it's pretty easy to determine if your Diono car seat is part of the recall. If you purchased your Diono car seat between January 2014 to September of this year, your car seat is most likely involved in the recall, as the recalled seats were manufactured during this time period, according to CNBC.

If your Diono car seat is recalled, try not to freak out just yet. According to The New York Times, Diono has "no reports of injuries and that few children who weigh more than 65 pounds will harnessed into the seats" and said "the problem was discovered in company testing," in its statement. Additionally, Diono "will notify owners, and provide a free remedy kit with an updated instruction manual, an energy absorbing pad, as well as a new chest clip, free of charge," according to Consumer Affairs.

Although it can be daunting to stay up-to-date on all of the recent car seat recalls (remember when Graco recalled 25,000 convertible car seats in May?), the NHTSA is working hard to keep parents informed. On the website Safer Car, which is sponsored by the NHTSA, parents can access a list of the latest car seat recalls. Parents can also file a complaint about a car seat, register a car seat, and sign up for email notifications for car seat recalls. All of this important information is located under the "Vehicle Owners" section of the NHTSA. The best part is parents can easily search for recalls via a table of contents section organized by "Recalls for Child Seat Manufacturers" and "Recalls of Motor Vehicles with Integral Child Seats."

Furthermore, parents can take a look at the latest car seat guidelines for additional safety precautions. According to the NHTSA, "car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13," which is why it's really crucial that parents understand and familiarize themselves with car seat guidelines. On the NHTSA's website, parents can locate car seat guidelines organized by age and weight. Car seats can be a confusing and even frustrating topic, so it's great that these guidelines exist.

If you're still concerned about the Diono car seat recall, you can call the company's customer service line at 1-253-256-9939 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, or you can send your comment or question via Diono's customer care support system. "Questions are typically answered within 48-72 hours during normal business hours," according to Diono's website. Try to keep in mind that any question or concern you may have is totally valid and warranted — there's nothing more pressing than your child's safety, right?