Car seats & car accidents: where do we draw the line?

One of our mothers and her 17-month-old daughter were in a car accident Wednesday evening, when another motorist hit them. Thankfully it was a minor car accident, but she was left wondering whether her car seat needed to be replaced.

When in a car accident, how do we know whether or not the car seat is still useable? Where's the line between a minor accident or fender-bender, and a trip to the store to purchase a new car seat?

This is from Britax's FAQ page, under "General Questions":

Q. What should I do with my child seat that has been involved in a crash?

A. Britax recommends that the use of a child seat be discontinued if it has been in a severe crash. We further advise of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) position that it is not necessary to replace a child seat after a minor crash. A minor crash is one that meets ALL of following criteria:

• The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site;
  
• The vehicle door nearest the child restraint 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 child seat.

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On a related note, as important as determining whether your car seat is still useable, it needs to be installed properly. 

The Tallahassee Police Department offers a weekly service where they will check or install a car seat for you!  There is no need to call ahead or schedule an appointment - you can find a certified car seat inspector/installer behind the police department near Lake Ella (on the side behind/next to the Circle K facing Monroe Street) every Wednesday morning at 10:00am!