Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

Like many other expectant parents probably, we were "passed down" a child's car seat from one of our friends which had served their family of three children very well and was poised to do the same for our new son. Not only was this a kind gesture but also quite a cost savings to our ever tightening budget. We brought our baby home from the hospital in this very same seat and proudly shuttled him back and forth on some trips during his first week on this earth.

Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

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Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

Soon after that though, I was researching some facts and discovered, for the first time, that car seats have an expiration date and ours had expired. My introductory belief of procedure was that this is something that was cooked up as a creative marketing strategy by the car seat manufacturers, but soon convinced myself that we needed to purchase a new seat without any delay. First of all I am not an specialist on the qualities of plastic in regard to warping and cracking but do know that plastic will do those things when exposed to obvious conditions over time. In addition, I have observed, and have now experienced, that the straps and material of a car seat are used and abused with much more vigor than the acceptable passenger seats in a vehicle. Also, unlike the permanent seats and seatbelts in your vehicle, the child car seat incurs further wear and tear being transferred from vehicle to vehicle and being installed and uninstalled for each of those transfers.

As far as I am concerned, my son is the most high-priced cargo I will ever carry in our Suv so him riding in something that is thought about "expired" is not an option. Remember also, that the technology of child security seats is enduringly evolving and a seat you purchase today is most likely going to be easier to use and safer than one purchased six years ago. And, if price is of concern (as it is for most of us) keep in mind that the store for this product is highly competing which means there are perfect seats with many features ready at many dissimilar price points. Take caution any way on car seats which are advertised as "close-out" or "on sale". The expiration date is stamped at the factory not at the store, so if you purchase a new seat which has been on the shelf for six months to a year you are beginning out with a security seat whose usable life is considerably less than one man-made more recently

Most manufacturers designate a life span of colse to six years for their car seats but this can vary so if you can not find the expiration date or are unsure, palpate the maker directly for clarification. And do not forget to list some dissimilar seats on your baby registry which fall into a range of dissimilar prices. The peace of mind which comes from strapping your baby into potential security seat is priceless!

Expired? Your Child's Car Seat May Be Due For transfer

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