Are we suckers? Truth or Fiction?

Written on August 13, 2010 by Renee in Baby, Pregnancy

You tell me… truth or fiction? Your carseat NEEDS to be replaced every six years because according to the manufacturer… it has expired.

I did not have a clue about this fact until partway through this pregnancy and was informed by my sister. The date is supposed to be imprinted on the carseat itself and is on average SIX YEARS from the date of manufacture, so if yours had been sitting on the shelf for a year at the time you purchased it then you’ve got even less use time out of it.

I think most everyone would agree that you obviously don’t want a carseat that is quite ancient as it probably going to have less safety features etc. We’ve all also heard not to buy a carseat second hand since you don’t know if it has been in an accident or not.

But what’s a stretch for me (and even more so for my dubious, doubtful skeptic of a husband) is that a carseat that you have been in possession of for six years somehow magically expires for unknown reasons. It just does.

The thing is, they know they have us. How can you expect a new mother or father to disregard the instruction that they are putting their teesny, tiny newborn into a vehicle with an unsafe carseat? New mothers are notoriously unstable and irrational and so help us…do not mess with our instincts. We know what is best for our baby, and don’t you forget it.

I read about a mother who after a late miscarriage, had kept her Graco carseat stored in a closet indoors. It was more than 6 years before she was finally pregnant again and after calling Graco to ask whether the expiration applied to her or not since the carseat had never been used…. it was brand new in the box! Graco’s answer was… “An expiration date is an expiration date.”

The only explanation I’ve heard is that the plastic can wear down after time and heat exposure making it “less safe.” What’s funny though and what was pointed out by our neighbor and fellow skeptic, is that the webbing and straps in the car itself somehow meet the safety standards without a 6 year expiration date. Although I’m sure if the car company’s thought they could get away with it, they would declare that all cars were expired after 6 years as well and must be replaced!

Here are three reasons listed from Safety Squad…

Technology changes
Car seat technology is always evolving, as are vehicles’ ability to secure seats properly and consistently. Before 2002, Lower Anchor & Tethers for Children (LATCH) did not exist. Now it’s a common system by which car seats are installed.

Materials wear out
Plastic stresses and warps. Straps and fabrics fray and rip. Instruction manuals get lost or destroyed. Important instructional labels fade, tear or fall off completely.

Manufacturing landscapes change
Your manufacturer may no longer stock replacement manuals and parts. Maybe the company has gone out of business entirely.

In my opinion, those reasons do NOT support a blanket expiration date for carseats. It supports investigating each point they bring up and seeing if your carseat would fall into one of those categories and therefore need to be replaced. I’m sorry, but losing the instruction manual does not mean the seat is no longer safe.

On the skeptic’s side of the argument is this old excerpt from the NY Times!

There are federal laws regulating safety standards for car seats, but no expiration dates, according to the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Graco Children’s Products, one of the largest manufacturers of child restraint seats, says it does recommend throwing out a car seat after seven years or so.

That is not because of danger that the plastic is degenerating, said David Galambos, compliance and safety manager for child safety systems with Graco, a unit of Newell Rubbermaid.

“It’s not as if you’ll hit the expiration date and the plastic will become weak,” he said. “The plastic is good for at least 10 years. But regulations and standards are constantly changing.”

“We’re not seeing any disintegration until a minimum of 10 years,” he said.

Despite rumors that float around the playground and the Web, extreme weather has no impact on the life of a car seat, Mr. Galambos said.

Sooo, two big arguments disputed by a spokesman of Graco! 1) Weather has no impact on the life of a carseat and 2) The plastic does not suddenly break down after 6 years.

What, what???

Sometimes though, the facts don’t really seem to matter, do they? Heaven forbid you approach this argument in your mommy group. Shock, disbelief and general disdain are what awaits you. How can you be a good mother if your child’s safety is not worth shelling out another $100? Wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry? Do you really want to test your theory using your own kids as guinea pigs?

After reading the documented reasons for replacing a carseat, and deciding to focus on those facts instead of fear and feelings, I think you examine your particular carseat and replace it ONLY if those reasons (outdated technology… no 5 point harness or latch system… frayed webbing… cracked plastic… missing parts, etc) actually make it unsafe.

What’s your opinion?

Hopefully, I’m not about to flamed or judged or kicked out of the good mommy club.