. >> reporter: stephanie collins' seat collapsed and her head slammed into her little girl. crystal died from massive internal bleeding. >> my child got turned into a human safety device. an airbag. she saved my life. it wasn't >> this is the seat that was involved in the accident. >> yes, the right front seat that mom was in. >> reporter: when we spoke to a structural engineer and accident investigator in 2002, he told us the federal safety standard for seat back strength was grossly inadequate. and 14 years later? >> nothing's changed. >> reporter: he provides expert testimony in lawsuits against carmakers and says car seats exceed the federal standard and are generally stronger than they were in 2002. >> but they're not reliably stronger all the time. sometimes they could be adjusted and become weaker. >> reporter: but there are steps you can take to help protect the kids in the backseat. and they're very simple. if there's no one in the passenger seat, then put the child behind the empty seat. if someone is in the passenger's seat, put them behind the lightest, shortest