At What Point Are Idaho Children No Longer Safe In Their Car Seats?

I have a grandson I transport constantly. I never considered that the car seat I use for him may not be usable for the next grandbaby. I thought if the seat had not been in an accident, it’s good forever.

I must humbly admit my ignorance. Car seats and booster seats do indeed have an expiration date. I realize that safety equipment has changed plenty since my kids were born, but an expiration date seems strange. It’s not.

Are Idaho Children Safe in Their Car Seats?

Of course safety standards are always changing, so I suppose that’s one point. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the lowdown on all you could ever possibly need to know about car seats. NHTSA has information on rear-facing vs. front-facing, weight requirements for a car seat vs. a booster, along with product comparisons, installation videos, and locations of inspection stations to make sure you put the car seat in properly.

I also hadn’t considered that the plastics and metal get old. Not really fatigued enough with only one child, but if you pass down the gear from child to child, you may not be able to do that for all of them. The standard expiration date is 6-10 years from manufacture date.

Where is the Expiration Date Posted For Car Seats?

Some people like to take all the annoying stickers and tags off of items when they purchase them. This is one of the times to not do that. Those stickers are telling you not only product registration information but may also contain the expiration date. Generally, they are on the back or bottom of the seat or base.

Are Used Car Seats Safe?

Using a car seat that you personally own and passing it down to your next baby could be fine. You know when the seat was purchased. You know if it has been in an accident. Saving money seems like a great idea, but it is not recommended to buy a car seat secondhand.

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Honestly, I would have kept using our car seats for the next grandbabies for as long as I could. Now I know what shower gifts to buy for moms with multiple babies. You think they have everything, but if their oldest is 6, it’s time for a new seat.