CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Protecting your baby or small child by securing them in a car seat isn’t just good parenting, it’s the law. The reason is clear: Car crashes continue to be the biggest threat to our kids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car seats reduce the risk of a baby dying from injuries in a crash by 71 percent. The CDC says the safety seats reduce toddler deaths by 54 percent.
While installing a good car seat correctly and strapping in babies and children the right way are keys to the safety of the seat, there’s one item that some parents are overlooking: the seat itself.
Lots of families will keep the car seat until the next baby is born, or they’ll give or sell them to a friend or family member. But many parents don’t know that child car seats have expiration dates.
The dates are attached to stickers affixed under or on the back of the seats themselves. Usually, that expiration date is six years from the date of manufacture.
The reason for an expiration date for these seats is tied to where and how they’re used. They remain in cars when they’re not in use, exposed to extreme heat and cold . And as any parent knows, the seat suffers wear-and-tear when babies and toddlers are in them.
The temperature and use degrade the plastic, metal parts and fabric of the seats, which compromises the functional safety of the seat over time, and that’s why these seats need to be retired at the recommended times.
So, if you thought you’ve done everything to protect your child, but haven’t checked that expiration date, you’re WRONG.
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