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‘’Everything comes to an end there is nothing eternal in this life’’
Have you ever looked at your car seats and thought for a while how can a car seat expire ? but just like an old plastic chair, at last, comes to an expiration date your car seats also expire.
Thinking about it isn’t a big deal for a car seat to expire we can use it? expiry date doesn’t matter?
Yes, your car seats also have an expiration date and using the car seats exceeding these date can be dangerous for your infant life. It’s the matter of life of your loved one. This could be very dangerous if an expired car seat is used.
Car seats have reduced the number of injuries caused by accidents in which your babies lives are at risk. using a car seat is the best way to protect your kid and provide safety but seats Do expire.
In this article we will highlight the main points of car seat expiration:
- Why car seats expire?
- How can we check whether our car seat is expired or not?
- How long car seats are valid for?
- How to dispose of old car seats or which organization recycle them?
Table of Contents
Why car seats expire?
You might be thinking of keeping the car seat of your first child or buy a second-hand car seat for your baby but wait there is an expiration date following this you can’t use an old car seat if it exceeds the time period mentioned.
The child safety car seats are made up of polypropylene tough plastic that flexes under pressure it doesn’t crack easily like other plastics do but as long as it reaches the expiry date the plastic becomes brittle and can be dangerous.
Car seats expire due to the following reasons:
Environmental factors :
Car seats basically stay in cars all day whether it’s hot or cold. During summers as the car become hot the car seats also become hot in a closed window and same in winter the car seats become too cold. These factors also make the plastic brittle and decrease its life. All this happening to car seats can’t be seen by us in the first look we have to focus on the parts which are slowly decreasing the life of car seats. In case of an accident, these types of car seats bear more damage.
Dampness :
There is a source of Dampness somewhere in your car as the car seat stay all day long somehow day by day it is affected by Humidity and can cause rust. Dampness cause rust in unseen metal parts which can affect how the car seat performs in case of an accident.
Advancements in technology and standards :
The technology is improved and standard is changed. The recent advancement in new car seats are much more advanced than old car seat so why not take advantage of this evolution which ensures more protection to your child. These advancements make sure to meet the updated safety standard.
Misplacement :
The older car seat could have missing parts they are used every day and over the years the car seat faces considerable ups and downs. The pads get washed as the time passes the product loses its integrity and tiny components are often misplaced which can reduce the seating efficiency.
How can we check whether our car seat is expired or not?
- Before checking whether your car seat is expired or not make sure you know all the history about car seat because sometimes the expiry date label is not mentioned there.
- Most car seats expire six years after their validation date, they vary by models or brand but only a little bit different is seen.
- In most cases, you will find a sticker or label
- Underneath the seat.
- Below the seat cushion.
- Or just turn over the seat you will find on its back.
How long car seats are valid for?
Most of the car seats are valid up to 4-8 years they vary by their manufacturer. the expiration date is printed on the car seat if not you can see the car seat manual to ensure the time period. These are some of the brands their expiry date is mentioned below:
| Manufacturing brands | Validity |
| Brita | 6 years for infant car seats, 9 years for booster seats |
| Chico | 6 years |
| Cusco | 6 years |
| Dione | 8 years for the car seat, 10 years for booster seats |
| Evenfall | 6 years |
| Evenfall Symphony | 8 years |
| Evenfall Sarema | 10 years |
| Greco | Usually, 7 or 10 years, depending on the model |
| Safety 1st | 6 to 8 years, depending on the model |
- In case you can’t find label call the manufacturer and ask about the expiry date.
Did you know it’s illegal to sell an old outdated car seat which does not meet the required standard? If some second thoughts come in your mind to use an old second car, then let me tell you are in trouble. For example, in Canada, the use of these car seats are illegal if they don’t meet the requirements of transportation safety standard.
How to dispose of old car seats or which organization recycle them?
How to dispose of an expired car seat?
An expired seat should be disposed of in a way that it won’t be re-used by anyone. To help ensure a car seat won’t be used after expiration
- Firstly, it is a good idea to remove the cover
- cut or remove the harness straps
- write on it don’t use its expired
- place it into a black garbage bag before taking it to be recycled or disposed of.
If your car seat is expired or damaged in a crash so it’s time to get rid of it and buy a new one but before you proceed first of all ensure that your old car seat is properly disposed of or its time to prepare your car seat for the recycling center of trash.
Recycling :
Contact a local car seat trade-in program to recycle your intact car seat:
- Call the store where your car seat came from and ask whether they need an old car seat or they recycle its parts if it is in good condition.
- Some stores even offer discounts on a new car seat if you return the old one
Use an evaluation form to donate used car seats.
- If your car seat is not expired, has never been in an accident then you can donate it to your friend or organization providing family services.
- for example, websites like
https://westsidebaby.org/ and many more will help you to donate the car seats easily.
Hence Car seats expire, like food or batteries. The plastic and other materials used to construct car seats are not made to last forever. With exposure over the years to extreme heat and cold and typical wear and tear, the seat parts can break down and become less capable of withstanding an impact. It’s important to emphasize on the expiry date otherwise it won’t be capable to ensure the safety of your child.