Thrifty vs. Safety: Second-hand Child Restraint Seats
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 | posted by: Kristen
In today’s economy, shopping at yard sales, thrift stores and bargain outlets has become the norm. Being thrifty in one area of your life means you can splurge in others. But sometimes, saving a buck or two just isn’t worth it. One such instance is when you are shopping for child safety car seats.
The price of a child restraint should not be used as the main determining factor when choosing the appropriate car seat, according to the North Carolina Child Passenger Safety Resource Center. Of course, the most expensive model is not necessarily safer than the basic inexpensive model. If you plan to use a second-hand seat, however, there are a few considerations you should make.
- Be sure that the car seat has a tag or label that indicates the manufacturer, model number, and date it was made. You’ll want this information so that you can look it up and make sure the seat has not been recalled. You’ll also want to make sure the label includes verbiage stating that it complies with “all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.”
- With the label information in hand, call 1-888-CASH-2-DOT to find out if it has been recalled.
- On some models you can find an expiration date. If it is past the expiration date, you should pass on it. Some manufacturers suggest not using the seat is it is older than six years. If the restraint is older than 10, don’t use it all. It’s just not worth it.
- You really need the instruction booket so that you can verify that you are installing it properly and check the diagrams against the seat to ensure it has all its parts. Call the manufacturer and request or copy or go online, you may be able to download a .pdf version.
- Has this car restraint been involved in a serious crash? If so, it may not be up as safe as it was prior to the accident. Restraints can weaken over time and there may be damage that is not visible to the naked eye.
- Give the seat a good lookover. Is there rust? Does it buckle and unfasten smoothly? You may be able to order a replacement buckle, but safety advocates would recommend that you not even use the restraint if these conditions apply.
Following these guidelines will ensure you don’t get what you didn’t bargain for when shopping for safety for your little one. For more details and a printable checklist, please visit www.buckleupnc.org
