MURRAY. Utah (ABC4 Utah) - The number of counterfeit infant and toddler car seats in Utah is rising – a development that safety experts at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital say poses a major safety concern for the state’s young children.

“The nation has strict regulations for car seats sold in the United State, but non-compliant, or ‘counterfeit’ car seats, are making their way into the market, sometimes by online sales and even through major retailers,” said Michelle Jamison, community health program manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. 

“Many well-meaning parents and caretakers are tempted by the lower price tag on counterfeit car seats, but the seats are not safe for babies or children riding in vehicles, and can fail to keep children restrained, with tragic consequences,” said Jamison.

All car seats meeting U.S. safety standards have a registration card, manual and these four labels, according to Jamison:

• Manufacturing Label: This has name of the car seat, date of manufacture, branding, model number, and expiration date. Sometimes this expiration date is stamped in the plastic instead of on the label.

• Warning Label: This includes a yellow header that states: “This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).” This label will be in both English and Spanish, and often appears near where the baby’s head goes.

• Serial Number: A white label contains red and black lettering, indicating that the car seat has passed federal standards.

• Model name or number: This appears with the manufacturer's name and telephone number.

Here are other tips from Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital safety experts to ensure the car seat you’re buying is safe:

• Research online but buy in person or from the manufacturer’s website.

• Make sure the seat you’re looking to buy is listed on NHTSA.gov or healthychildren.org.

• Register your car seat. This allows the manufacturer to alert you to recalls or other important information – and can help verify the seat’s legitimacy. Each car seat is connected to the manufacturer with a unique serial number. Counterfeits often use fake or duplicate serial numbers that cannot be registered successfully.

Beware of:

• Websites containing grammatical errors.

• Car seat labels that contain grammatical errors or appear blurry.

• Seats with missing labels.

• Prices that seem too good to be true. Deep discounts rarely happen on car seats, especially on the more popular trending brands.

• Seats that only have a 3-point harness, which is illegal in the United States. Look for straps that go over the hips and shoulders. In counterfeit car seats, the chest clip is often missing.

• Materials that don’t feel right. Counterfeit car seats are made of cheaper, flimsier materials. They feel more like doll accessories than a heavy-duty car seat made to protect a child in the event of a crash.

“If you determine that you have a counterfeit car seat, stop using it immediately and contact the retailer to notify them that they sold a counterfeit,” Jamison said. “You may be able to recover the cost of the seat if you used a credit card or purchased through a major retailer.”

For help with evaluating or installing your car seat, find a technician near you or call Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital to book a virtual or in-person car seat check at 801-662-CARS

For more information go to primarychildrens.org/safety.

Sponsored by Intermountain Health.