Comments on: Do Child Safety Seats Expire? http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/ Home of the Osborne family Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:31:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Caitlin Grant http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-57756 Caitlin Grant Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:28:07 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-57756 "That same average boy will reach 50 lbs at about 7 years of age. That means that the average male child would be required to get a new seat before reaching the maximum allowed weight for most convertible seats simply due to an expiration." It is rare that a child ever meets the weight limit of a seat before outgrowing it heightwise (most common.) While forward facing the child's shoulders must be at or below the harness slots. If it is above, the seat is outgrown. (Forward facing being the direction adults face, Rear facing being the direction an infant seat sits). Rear facing to the limits of the seat is safest. While currently the child restraint laws themselves do not say that expired seats should not be used, the laws state that a child must be properly restrained. If you are using an expired seat, you're using it against manufacturers instructions, and therefore in the eyes of law, your child is improperly restrained. The shell of the seat, usually made from a combination of plastic and metal parts, begins to break down over the years on the chemical level. The general time frame is 6 years because that's all they've been proven safe until (though there are a handful of American seats on the market that expire in 8 or 9). These seats may not last 1 particular child 8 or 9 years, but can be passed down to younger peers safely. “That same average boy will reach 50 lbs at about 7 years of age. That means that the average male child would be required to get a new seat before reaching the maximum allowed weight for most convertible seats simply due to an expiration.”

It is rare that a child ever meets the weight limit of a seat before outgrowing it heightwise (most common.) While forward facing the child’s shoulders must be at or below the harness slots. If it is above, the seat is outgrown. (Forward facing being the direction adults face, Rear facing being the direction an infant seat sits). Rear facing to the limits of the seat is safest.

While currently the child restraint laws themselves do not say that expired seats should not be used, the laws state that a child must be properly restrained. If you are using an expired seat, you’re using it against manufacturers instructions, and therefore in the eyes of law, your child is improperly restrained.

The shell of the seat, usually made from a combination of plastic and metal parts, begins to break down over the years on the chemical level. The general time frame is 6 years because that’s all they’ve been proven safe until (though there are a handful of American seats on the market that expire in 8 or 9). These seats may not last 1 particular child 8 or 9 years, but can be passed down to younger peers safely.

]]> By: erin m. http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-52279 erin m. Thu, 22 May 2008 22:13:04 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-52279 I was wondering the same thing, and here is a good article that I found. Hope it helps. http://www.epinions.com/content_4753956996 I was wondering the same thing, and here is a good article that I found. Hope it helps.

http://www.epinions.com/content_4753956996

]]> By: Milly http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-50253 Milly Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:44:24 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-50253 State Farm and AAA will check them out for you I think. State Farm and AAA will check them out for you I think.

]]> By: Milly http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-50252 Milly Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:43:25 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-50252 I'd do some online research. We used our old seats on my kids. One accident and the seat wasn’t stressed thank God. I’d do some online research. We used our old seats on my kids. One accident and the seat wasn’t stressed thank God.

]]> By: Mark http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-50155 Mark Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:38:34 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-50155 It probably has more to do with them meeting new saftey standards, than the plastic wearing out. It probably has more to do with them meeting new saftey standards, than the plastic wearing out.

]]> By: Chic http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-50096 Chic Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:17:13 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-50096 Ozz, how about checking with Consumer Reports? Erin, it's very sad to say, but a lot of parents' best judgement' is not what many people would call common sense. Some parents don't even use car seats! Another thing that irks me is if there is a tiny baby in the car .... and the music from the radio/cd player is so loud it rocks the car! Argh!! Ozz, how about checking with Consumer Reports?
Erin, it’s very sad to say, but a lot of parents’ best judgement’ is not what many people would call common sense. Some parents don’t even use car seats! Another thing that irks me is if there is a tiny baby in the car …. and the music from the radio/cd player is so loud it rocks the car! Argh!!

]]> By: Erin http://www.hoei.com/blog/archives/2008/04/14/414/#comment-49901 Erin Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:46:22 +0000 http://www.hoei.com/blog/?p=414#comment-49901 I guess it would make sense to put an expiration date on a car seat, but can't parents just use their best judgement? Of course I'm still bitter over the fact that Oregon bases car seat use on height and at (almost) thirty years old, I am only a couple of inches taller than that height requirement :) I guess it would make sense to put an expiration date on a car seat, but can’t parents just use their best judgement? Of course I’m still bitter over the fact that Oregon bases car seat use on height and at (almost) thirty years old, I am only a couple of inches taller than that height requirement :)

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