Recalls of tens of thousands of child car restraints have been announced after testing found that the anchor kits or brackets could fail in the event of a collision, increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Imported by Hemco Industries, the majority of affected anchor kits and brackets were supplied with car seats and capsules sold since April of this year, including major brands such as Tomy Australia, IGC Dorel and Como Baby. Some of the anchor kits and brackets were also sold separately as aftermarket accessories.
“The ACCC understands that these anchor kits and brackets are generally used in station wagons, hatchbacks, four-wheel drives and older vehicles. Many, although not all, newer vehicles tend to have an anchor bracket already installed in the vehicle,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Affected units can be identified by the batch number which has been stamped directly on the product. The affected batch numbers are 022 and 023. All other batch numbers are not affected by the recall.
“The ACCC is urging consumers to check vehicles for the affected anchor bracket, regardless of the brand of car seat or capsule that they use,” Ms Rickard said.
The anchor point is generally located on the parcel shelf in sedans and on the floor in station wagons, vans and hatchbacks. The anchor point may be located on the inside roof of some station wagons. Anchor point locations are indicated in the vehicle owner’s manual.
“According to the RACV, approximately 70% of child restraints are not installed correctly. Consumers are encouraged to also use this as an opportunity to check that their child restraint is correctly installed.
“The restraint should generally be attached via a top tether strap to an anchor point in the car. The anchor point should not be confused with luggage hooks or other fittings. The seatbelt should also be correctly threaded through the restraint and buckled. If in doubt, contact Kidsafe, your local mechanic or your road traffic authority,” Ms Rickard said.
Further information about the recall, including how to tell if you have one of the affected anchor kits or brackets, is available on the Recalls Australia website www.recalls.gov.au. If you find that you have an affected anchor kit or bracket, stop using it immediately. If you do not know where it was purchased, contact Hemco Industries on 1300 065 057 or email service@hemco.com.au to arrange to receive a replacement product.
You can also download the free Recalls Australia app, available for both iPhone and Android devices, for information about product recalls in Australia.
For more information about product safety, visit www.productsafety.gov.au, call the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ProductSafetyAU. You can also find product safety information via the ACCC's Product Safety Facebook Page and YouTube channel ACCC Product Safety.