U.S. Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD)/Office of Highway Safety
(VIOHS) warns consumers to avoid purchasing noncompliant and counterfeit car seats. Car
seats sold and used in the United States and its territories must display a certification label
showing conformance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213. This required
red-and-black or red-lettered statement typically reads: “This child restraint system conforms
to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards” or “This Restraint is Certified for Use
in Motor Vehicles.”
Car seat manufacturers that meet this standard perform rigorous testing on their products to
ensure reduced crash risks for child passengers. Unsuspecting caregivers have purchased car
seats from manufacturers that do not comply with the required standards. Consumers can
protect themselves and ensure their child’s safety by verifying the presence of the FMVSS
statement on the label, avoiding safety devices made in foreign countries, purchasing
restraints from trusted dealers and manufacturers, and rejecting products whose prices seem
unexpectedly low. Non-compliant seats may compromise a child’s safety during a crash.
For more information on avoiding non-compliant and counterfeit child restraints, contact the
Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through VIOHS Director Daphne O’Neal at
daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov, or Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes, at
denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov, or via telephone at (340) 712-6073.
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