Recall: 447,000 Car Seats Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a recall of nearly half a million Dorel car seats / baby carriers.

Dorel received 77 reports about the carrying handle coming off which resulted in at least three infant injuries.

“The problem with the unit is the carrying handle,” said Rick Leckner, a spokesman for Dorel. “There’s a bolt on either side and one can come loose. If the child is not harnessed in, the child can fall out.”

The CPSC said the carrier, which also is used as a car seat, poses no risks when securely set in the car. The risk is when carrying or transporting an infant in the seat using the handle.

Brands that used the Dorel-manufactured carrier include Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer and Disney. They were sold nationwide at department stores and other retail stores carrying products for children between January 2008 and December 2009 and cost between $120 and $220.

Consumers can contact Dorel Juvenile Group at (866) 762-3316 for a free repair kit.