Question about car seatbelts "expiring"?

[southpawboston]

this thread got me thinking about a car's safety apparatus:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=10725

we are so hung up about carseat expiration dates, whether it be because of genuine concern for safety or for liability... both valid reasons.

BUT, do we concern ourselves with the integrity of the car's safety features? i would venture to guess that >50% of us own cars that are less than 6 years old, but many of us do drive older cars.

i am less concerned about things like airbags and ABS systems, because i know those are designed for a long "shelf life", and the electronic deployment systems that control them undergo a self-check every time you start the car.

my main concern is that of seatbelt integrity. does anyone have any data to show that seatbelts are less effective at restraining a passenger (or a carseat) after a certain period of time? are the seatbelts in a 10 year old car as effective as those in a new car? the webbing is exposed to UV, moisture, dust, etc... do the fibers get weakened or brittle? if there is any data to support this?

[CPSDarren]

I've never seen any study or data on this, but I'm sure (like everything) that they degrade some over time. .

Even aside from the factors you can't control like sun, temperatures, etc, spills and other abuse should be of concern, too. I know I've seen a number of broken retractors at inspections, some even the parents didn't realize they had

[southpawboston]

I know I've seen a number of broken retractors at inspections, some even the parents didn't realize they had

that's scary!

[Synchro246]

i am less concerned about things like airbags and ABS systems, because i know those are designed for a long "shelf life", and the electronic deployment systems that control them undergo a self-check every time you start the car.


I didn't know that about those things- that's reassuring :)

Would actual crash fatality data (who has this data?) give a clue about your question? How is this sort of thing reported? I assume that specifics about the cars involved are included, but what about the "dynamics" of the crash and the nature of the injuries?
Can someone link to where this information is?

[southpawboston]

i really don't know where this data would exist... insurance industry maybe? it's not easy data to compile, i'm sure. i kind of wish someone would do some lab tests on belts form older cars and see what kind of loads they can handle without breaking or over stretching. but then again, how could you control for other variables, such as where those old belts had been?

[skaterbabscpst]

Honestly, seatbelts are just like every other safety feature of your car. They should be inspected regularly for wear and tear, and replaced as needed. (including after a crash.)

You wouldn't dream of just assuming your brakes work all the time, you inspeact them regularly. Seatbelts should be the same.