Car Seat Expiration Dates
Check Your Car Seat Expiration Dates Regularly
You might have wondered when you heard for the first time that car seat expiration dates are to be checked regularly. Do car seats expire? The answer is yes! Car seats expire as food products do. You should not use car seats past the expiration date. It is a safety measure to be followed strictly. As car seats are intended for kids, you need to be extremely careful to change the car seat once it’s expiration is near. Make it a point to buy a new car seat as early as possible.
Car Seat Expiration Dates Explained
Car seat expiration dates are marked on the seat, usually on the bottom or back. If you cannot find the location where the expiration date details are stamped. Get the help of the store owner if necessary. For the most part, good quality car seats will have the expiration dates on them. In some car seats, it would be the date of manufacture and the number of years in which the seat is effective for. This time table will be different for car seats from different manufacturers. Normally, it comes in the range of 5 to 8 years and for most car seats, it is commonly 6 years. Anyway, before purchasing a car seat, ensure that your date of purchase and the date of manufacture are fairly close. For example, if you purchase a car seat, which was manufactured exactly one year back, you are limiting the chance to use it for the entire allowed period. To make it simple, if the car seat you purchased expires in 6 years, you get the freedom to use it only for 5 years without worry.
Why do we have car seat expiration dates? The main reason for setting a limit for the life of a car seat is that, over years the parts of any car seat become damaged due to continuous use. Plastic, the major component of all car seats stresses and weakens over time. Even other parts such as straps or buckles can get damaged. Moreover, the safety tests are valid only for a certain period. Safety standards get updated regularly, and the used car seats might not be up to current levels. Since car seats are used by infants or children they tend to have very sensitive and soft skin and could suffer small cuts from sharp worn areas. It is highly recommended to follow car seat expiration dates precisely.
Car Seat Expiration Dates – Technology Evolution
With the advancement in technology, new innovations are being introduced in many aspects of car seats. If you still continue using old outdated car seats, or even worse, hand me down seats with car seat expiration dates that are beyond limits, your child misses out of the chance for using the latest car seat available on the market.
Car Seat Expiration Dates – Safety First
Many parents do not give priority to the car seat expiration dates and continue using the same car seat past its time. You have to understand that your child’s safety will be at risk if you do that. It’s much better to check the car seat expiration dates regularly, at least once per year.
Here are some other helpful car seat links to learn more. Thanks for visiting!
Best rear facing car seats
Keeping Children Safe in Cars
jlv327: A ticket for not having a car seat or seat
UCB Parents Carseat Recommendations: When to turn the carseat ...
New Law: Kids 8 Or Younger Must Be In Safety Seat - YouTube
CHP - Child Safety Seat - FAQs - California Highway Patrol