The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has issued a warning to parents against the use of head straps in children’s car seats.

The product safety warning comes after extensive online market surveillance by the CCPC.

The head restraint accessory, which is sometimes described as a car seat head strap, a neck protection belt, head support hugger or a nap aid/sleep holder belt, claims to prevent a child’s head from falling forwards or sideways if they fall asleep.

However, an investigation by the CCPC’s product safety team established that these products are dangerous and could cause serious injuries to a child’s spine or neck during a collision, suffocation if the strap slips over the child’s nose and mouth, or strangulation if the strap moves down to their neck.

The organisation conducted a sweep of 100 product listings and attempted to obtain the required safety documentation for each product.

All 100 listings could not demonstrate the safety of the product and were removed.

The products in question were being sold across five online marketplaces; Amazon, Cdiscount, Joom, Shein and Wish.

They may be for sale on other platforms or websites.

These products have already been recalled in Malta, Germany and Australia.

While the number of products sold in Ireland is unknown, the CCPC is issuing a safety warning about the car seat head straps due to the serious risk they pose.

Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications said products like the head straps ‘prey on a parent’s basic instinct to protect their child. But instead of making a toddler safer, they put the child much more at risk.’

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) does not recommend the use of devices or accessories that are purchased separately from a child’s car seat.

Christine Hegarty, Road Safety and Education Manager at RSA said:  ‘Child car seats are highly regulated and vigorously tested and are designed to perform and react in a specific way in the event of a collision. Any device that changes that process is dangerous.’

The CCPC advised consumers that use of any add-ons or accessories for car seats should only be used when tested and approved by the car seat manufacturer, as any other accessories may change the performance of the seat or introduce hazards.