How old a car seat is safe to use?

elsien

I have a couple of Gracos in the loft for when the siblings kids used to visit. Only been used a handful of times but they are probably 15 years old.
I was wondering about donating them somewhere but was unsure if they'd be acceptable due to the age. Are they likely to still meet safety standards, do you think?

calleyw

Bin. I know that cycling helmets they recommend to replace every 3 years due to wear and tear.


I did a quick google and they suggest to bin them when they are between 5-10 years old.


https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/what-your-childs-old-car-11884052



Yours


Calley x

Artytarty

But that assumes constant use for all those years.
What about old ones that have only been used for a couple of years and put in storage? They haven't had 15 years of use, only a couple.

calleyw

Artytarty wrote: »

But that assumes constant use for all those years.
What about old ones that have only been used for a couple of years and put in storage? They haven't had 15 years of use, only a couple.

The materials deteriorate over time whether in use or not. We don't know who the op has stored it. Might have been somewhere too hot or cold.



I personally would never buy car seats or cycle helmets second hand as you have no idea how someone has stored and looked after it.


A quote from the article I linked to.



"it’s expired. The normal shelf life of a car seat is around five to 10 years. This is to make sure it’s still performing at its best and meeting the latest safety regulations"


Yours


Calley x

DigForVictory

I'm sorry but I'd take a Stanley knife to them & take the bits to the tip unusable.

15 years is too old for a car seat to be safe but it is not too old to look misleading.

Please, remove it from the realm of possible before someone in a hurry makes a bad decision.

Kynthia

Bin them after 10 years. They are obsolete compared to the safety standards of newer ones, plus we've no idea if any of the materials have degraded and no longer would protect a child in a high-force collision.

Cut off the straps before throwing them out. Anyone chucking a car seat should do this to prevent someone "rescuing" it and using or selling it when it's not safe.

GwylimT

The plastic used on the clips degrades and becomes brittle, car seat regulations have also changed significantly in the last few years. I would cut off the straps and bin it.

As seats cannot be used after an accident, it is advisable to never purchase one second hand.

Dark_Star

I volunteer in a charity shop.


They cannot sell second hand helmets/car seats/flotation jackets (the zogg type things for toddlers)/hot water bottles & probably other bits I cannot remember; as the risk is too great. All gets put in the skip. People mean well but it has to go to landfill as we don't know the history.


A helmet brand new in the box with the tags on clearly unused & new could be sold. e.g. a present bought in the wrong size & donated.


Little Jonny's bashed & scuffed 10 year old helmet = skip.


The same with car seats...:(

Celepie

New car seats now come with an 'expiry' date on them, which is usually six years after they are manufactured (so by the time you buy them it's often less). I'd just bin them. Second-hand car seats are problematic anyway as you don't know their history - even if they don't look damaged, if they've been in an accident then they are deemed unfit to be used.