Can I use a car seat that is 7 years old?
When your child reaches the highest weight or height limit allowed for his forward-facing child safety seat with a harness, he should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle lap and shoulder belt (adult seat belt) fits properly, typically when he reaches 4 feet 9 inches in height and is between 8 and 12 …
Why do car seats expire after 7 years?
In general, car seats expire between 6 and 10 years from the date of manufacture. They expire for a number of reasons, including wear and tear, changing regulations, recalls, and the limits of manufacturer testing.
Do car seats really expire after 6 years?
Yes, car seats typically expire after six years from the date of manufacture. A sticker that provides the serial number includes manufacture and expiration dates. Of course, the seats don’t dissolve on the expiration date at the stroke of midnight. Even more than feature upgrades, car seats even decay on their own.
Why can’t I use an expired car seat?
Most car seats have a plastic shell. Plastic breaks down and degrades over time, becoming brittle. This could be very dangerous if an expired seat is being used in the event of an accident. Metal can develop rust in even unseen areas of the car seat and once again, not function properly in an accident.
Can I turn my child’s car seat around?
While 1 year and 20 pounds used to be the standard for when to flip car seats around, most experts now recommend using rear-facing child seats until children are 2 years old and reach the top weight and height recommendations of the car seat manufacturer, which is typically around 30 pounds and 36 inches.
What can you do with expired car seats?
Make sure that it is up-to-date and built perfectly in order to keep your child protected. If it is too old to use, we recommend disposing of it in the proper waste bin in order for it to be treated and recycled. Check out our waste recycling shop and find out what waste management service you need!
Do car seats really save lives?
Research has shown that using age- and size-appropriate child restraints (car seats, booster seats, and seat belts) is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries in a crash. Only 2 out of every 100 children live in states that require car seat or booster seat use for children age 8 and under.
How do you tell when a car seat expires?
Expiration Date: Most car seats expire after 6 years from the date of manufacture. If you can’t find an explicit expiration date printed anywhere on the seat (shown below), check the owner’s manual. When in doubt, the easiest thing to do is to call the manufacturer and ask them.
How do you know when a car seat expires?
What age does a child not need a 5 point harness?
That’s why all our forward-facing and rearward-facing car seats for children up to four years old have this type of car harness for children. However, as your child gets older you’ll need to switch to a car seat that uses your car’s 3-point seat belt system.
When to put your child in a car seat?
But the American Academy of Pediatrics urges more caution than the law, saying that seat belts typically fit properly when a child has reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and is between 8 and 12 years old. So even if your child is 8, if the seat belt does not fit properly, wait until it does.
Can you take a 3 year old in a car without a car seat?
You can’t take children under 3 on an unexpected journey in a vehicle without the correct child car seat, unless both of the following apply: Children under 3 must be in a child car seat. If there’s no room for a third child car seat in the back of the vehicle, the child must travel in the front seat with the correct child car seat.
How often is child not buckled in car seat?
Research shows that many of these children were not buckled in properly, despite the safety and legal consequences (a ticket for driving an unrestrained child in North Carolina results in fines and license points). 60 to 80 percent of car seats are not being used properly, according to child safety expert and registered nurse Robin Deal.
How big does a child have to be to ride in a car seat without a booster?
A lap-only belt without a booster is also legal for children weighing at least 40 pounds if all other seating positions with lap and shoulder belts are being used by other children. In this case, though, parents should try to rearrange the placement of child restraints to ensure that each child is protected as much as possible.