Car seats are one of the most expensive purchases new parents make so I thought I'd share some terrific resources to help you make the right choice for your child.
First, I bet most parents don’t realize child car seats expire. Many manufacturers now print expiration dates on their car seat labels.
Can’t find mention of it on the label? Look it up on line, figure out when that car seat was manufactured. You can also check to see if it’s ever been part of a recall. This is just as important to do when you rent a car because some rental car companies don't replace the car seats often enough.
So why do they expire? Most manufacturers say the sun and everyday use can break down the plastic and the straps.
I’ve seen various recommendations – anywhere between six and ten years is considered the shelf life for a car seat. And if your car seat is ever involved in an accident, you should replace it.
Not sure which car seat to use go here.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
You can always go here to find a car seat inspection station near you.
It’s also important to make sure your car seat has not been part of a recall. You can sign up to register your own child’s car seat so that you can be notified if there ever is a recall or use this same site to check.
NHTSA has a terrific web site that contains all kinds of car seat information including a link to the latest recalls and pictures of car seats that have been recalled.
