Graco Car Seat for Newborn Baby

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Thrifty parents often ask whether it's OK to purchase a used car seat from a garage sale or an online auction or borrow one from a friend or family member. While a used car seat might save money, it could also compromise safety. Most often, you are better off buying a new seat. If you're considering a used car seat, confirm these important details.

Age and Expiration

Do not buy a used car seat unless you can verify the age of the seat. There should be a manufacturer's label on the back or bottom of the seat that gives the manufacture date and/or specific expiration date. All car seats and boosters have expiration dates. Sometimes they are found on the same sticker that has the date of manufacture. Other times you need to read the instruction manual to see how many years after the date of manufacture the seat expires.

The typical lifespan of a car seat or booster seat is six to 10 years. But for every seat, you need to check the expiration date for that particular seat. Don't assume that because it's less than six years old, it's not expired.

If you're not sure about the expiration date, check the instruction manual or call the manufacturer. By law, the date of manufacture and the manufacturer's contact information must be on one of the seat labels. If these labels are missing from the car seat, it's best not to use it, as the labels also give important model information that would alert you to potential recalls (always check if a seat is under recall).

How long a car seat was in storage or the temperature of the storage location does not affect the expiration date. So even if it was never used, if a seat is past its expiration date, it may not be safe and you should avoid it.

Original Parts and Manual

Determine whether used car seats still have all of the original parts needed for safety and proper function, as it's common for some parts to be lost over time. For example, a harness on a combination seat may have been removed when the child outgrew it and was later replaced without a small piece that affects the function of the harness in a crash.

Along with original required parts, make sure that you have a copy of the instruction manual, which is a must for ensuring correct installation. Almost every manufacturer's website has PDFs of instruction manuals available for free download.

Crash History

You must also learn the crash history of the seat (i.e., whether it was ever involved in an accident). This is important because car seat manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have replacement criteria for whether or not the car seat is still safe to use after a crash.

Some car seat manufacturers say to replace the car seat after any crash, period. NHTSA and other manufacturers base the decision on things like whether or not there were injuries, whether the vehicle airbags deployed, or how close the point of impact was to the car seat.

It's often difficult to gather those details from strangers when buying a used car seat. Even car seats involved in fairly serious crashes may not show outward signs of damage, but that doesn't mean they're still safe to use.

Trusting the Seller

Buying a used car seat means you are relying on the seller to give you accurate information. Can you trust a stranger on eBay to tell you whether or not that car seat was in a crash? Do you know the person at the yard sale well enough to know that they are car-seat savvy and have maintained the car seat according to the manufacturer's instructions? When you trust a stranger to give you that kind of information, you are essentially trusting them with your child's life, so it's important to make that choice wisely. That's why it is usually better to budget for a new car seat and cut costs elsewhere if need be.

Used Car Seat Checklist

If you have a trusted friend or family member who is willing to give you a used car seat, that may be a safe choice if you can verify:

• Age of seat
• Expiration date
• Labels and manuals
• Original parts
• Crash history

Don't Rely on Appearances

While some car seats that are not expired and have not been in a crash can look horribly dirty and worn out, the opposite can also be true. Some very old car seats may still look new, particularly if they spent a lot of time on the store shelf or packed away somewhere before use. Car seats that have been involved in a crash may not appear damaged. No one can visually inspect a car seat for you or certify that it's safe to use if the history is unknown or it has been in a crash.

If you cannot verify all of the things mentioned here, the car seat is considered unsafe for use, even if it appears to be in good condition. Crashes can cause stress and structural weakness that isn't visible from the outside, and older car seats can be weakened by many seasons of heat and cold in the car. Unless a used car seat is coming from a close friend or family member and meets the above criteria, the best choice is to buy a new car seat for your baby.

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Graco Car Seat for Newborn Baby

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/used-car-seats-safe-for-baby-293713

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