Beware Of Used Car Seats

[boneheaders]

I wish the police officer said that the old fashioned over the head shiled car seats are very dangerous because the kids in those seats are often thrown into the shield which results in injuries to the stomach which are deadly even if they were brand new. That is why they are no longer made.

[roylinfordadams]

And before anyone points out the metal catches on the front of the seat, those only go into the seat for about an inch and bolt to the plastic. It's big money in scaring parents. We will spare no expense, especially when told that something is "Dangerous" for our kids. Remember, the car seat you are using today that you are being told is "best" WILL be classified as "Dangerous" tomorrow. If they were made right in the first place then they wouldn't need a date.

[wendya71]

@roylinfordadams

It's not that they aren't made right in the first place and expire because of shoddy workmanship. Plastics break down over time. Think of what happens to plastic toys left out in the yard in the sun - they get brittle and crack. The same thing can happen with car seats - then the shell will crack, or the harnesses will come ripping out of the plastic.

[roylinfordadams]

@wendya71 Thanks for proving my point.. If car seats relied on an internal steal frame and lock, instead of a cheep plastic modular shell and a cheeper plastic lock for its integrity, there wouldn't be a need for an expiration date and the car seat would be a thousand times safer for our kids. Listen to the cop in this video "You would need a microscope to see the hairline fractures.", if it's so bad that microscopic damage can lead to unsafe conditions, what if the box was dropped in the store?

[MOTS411]

@roylinfordadams It's about wear and tear and deterioration, not about being made "right/wrong". They ARE made properly but they will degrade over time. Each seat has a different expiration length of time as well. Also yes, carseat data has changed drastically over the years, but so have roads and vehicles and drivers. Lots more big vehicles, more cars on the roads and cars going much faster and children in cars more than they were in the past. Used to be infrequent in town trips and dirt roads.

[roylinfordadams]

I suspect the expiration date is more about getting you to buy a new one, protecting lawsuits against the manufacturer and means for insurance companies to deny coverage, than it is about your kid's safety. If they were all about child safety to this extent, they wouldn't be making ALL car seats completely out of plastic in the first place. There's no metal frame in them and the latch that keeps in on the base is week plastic at best, and then they charge $100 for it?! But what choice do we have

[wendya71]

@roylinfordadams @roylinfordadams

It's not that they aren't made right in the first place and expire because of shoddy workmanship. Plastics break down over time. Think of what happens to plastic toys left out in the yard in the sun - they get brittle and crack. The same thing can happen with car seats - then the shell will crack, or the harnesses will come ripping out of the plastic.

[momat30and35]

I have re-posted this as I have only recently found out about expiery dates and am a school bus driver with 2 small children - so glad you did this video!!!!

[MREURONCAP]

I did not know that car seats can expire... O_O

[jsrcamp]

@MREURONCAP A lot of people do not know that carseats expire, I didnt know that till my oldest daughter was 11 months old and saw the Kyle David Miller Video about boosters can kill and that got me thinking about ERF and EFF and How to proprley install and buckle your child up. now my 4 year old daughter is in the Graco Natulis(witch has a steel Fram and is heavy as all get out) and my 9 month old will be ERF till she out grows the new carseat that we are going to get her!

[BabyOnTheGo]

This is a good video. You should not use a used car seat as you can never tell the history of the seat and whether it has been in crashes etc.

[FrontalTraction]

1:51 The newswoman says "less safer."

[alexander0025]

expiration december 2012 are you kidding me what was the factory thinking?!

[milkyskin]

Hahahaha!!

Isn't that the end of the world or something?

[MonkeyNinjasUnite]

@alexander0025 i know!

[vctorascrt]

expiration dates have only been printed on the backs of seats in the last 4-5 years. MOST seats expire at 6 years, but some like the Britax Frontier are good for 9 years. Call the manufacturer whenever in doubt.

And RECYCLE those old seats when finished, don't just trash them. If there isn't a place locally, work with your local safety council, AAA, and recycling centers to start one. The metals, plastic parts, and foam can all be recycled. Even belts can be reused as playground equipment.

[sarahsoki]

It's also good to know that your insurance will cover the cost of replacing any car seats involved in a moderate to severe accident. If they sound like they won't, asked for a letter from them stating they believe the seat(s) were not damaged in any way and will perform to their perfect capacity if involved in another accident. They'll usually dive for their checkbook at that poing.

[underwms]

Thank you for posting this!

[RanaAurora]

Great video. A used carseat or an expired carseat can be a deadly carseat.

Your kids lives are worth it for you to spend a little money to know they're ACTUALLY safe.

[asm4148]

You need to know the history of the car seat. Was it in a collision? Are there pieces missing? Was it recalled? You will not know all that when you buy a used car seat. Eliminate all that and buy all car seats BRAND NEW EVERY TIME. Fill out the product registration form so you can be notified of any recalls and updates.

[13aznanimegirl12]

they have expiary dates?

[MorganandEedna]

heck yes!

[mrsarby]

YES! products age, weaken, GET RECALLED, and get stress points.

6 years is longest use time under best conditions.

[NicolaMonk]

There are some car seats that are only good for 5 years, and some that are good for 9 years. You have to follow the manufactures instructions.