Do I need to replace my seats?

[Melizerd]

i must be in the minority then (or am i a troll??? ), since i don't see every situation as black and white. i think if i were in a minor fender bender where it was pretty obvious no significant crash force was involved and it met NHTSA's requirements, i would still use the carseat to at least bring kiddo home, and maybe use it until a new one arrives.

this forces me to ask the question: what if you hit a really big bump in the road, and it jolts the passengers more than a fender bender? would you replace your carseat then??????

i know i'll be jumped on for this response but that's my parental position and i'm sticking with it . if it were a significant accident that didn't meet NHTSA's criteria for keeping the seat, then i wouldn't ever use it, even for a short trip.

I agree with you This situation though was at 40 or 45 MPH with tires coming off the rims so that's not really minor IMO.

If the crash met NHTSA standards for minor crashes then my answer might be different, I can't speak for anyone else. I don't think I'm OVERLY conservative on seat replacement.

 

[azgirl71]

I'm definately no tech, but from what I've read on here, the techs on the board tend to say that if you HAVE to drive the kids before the new seats arrive, that using a seat that's been in a collision is safer than no seat at all. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I am a tech and woulld tell a parent to walk before I would tell them to use an unsafe seat!!!!

 

[Jewels]

(or am i a troll??? )

:ROTFLMAO:

since i don't see every situation as black and white. i think if i were in a minor fender bender where it was pretty obvious no significant crash force was involved and it met NHTSA's requirements, i would still use the carseat to at least bring kiddo home, and maybe use it until a new one arrives.

this forces me to ask the question: what if you hit a really big bump in the road, and it jolts the passengers more than a fender bender? would you replace your carseat then??????

The difference here is that the car was not drivable so then the seats should not be used and if someone has to come get you from the scene you can get them to bring you a seat. I know this isn't always a feesable option as not everyone has a spare seat but then that would have to be a parental decision. I still stand by the words not to use a seat that has been in a collision.

this forces me to ask the question: what if you hit a really big bump in the road, and it jolts the passengers more than a fender bender? would you replace your carseat then??????

All fender benders are different I personally try to avoid the big bumps in the road and if it is big enough for you to do damage your car then yes, I would replace the seats.

 

[scatterbunny]

i must be in the minority then (or am i a troll??? ), since i don't see every situation as black and white. i think if i were in a minor fender bender where it was pretty obvious no significant crash force was involved and it met NHTSA's requirements, i would still use the carseat to at least bring kiddo home, and maybe use it until a new one arrives.

this forces me to ask the question: what if you hit a really big bump in the road, and it jolts the passengers more than a fender bender? would you replace your carseat then??????

i know i'll be jumped on for this response but that's my parental position and i'm sticking with it . if it were a significant accident that didn't meet NHTSA's criteria for keeping the seat, then i wouldn't ever use it, even for a short trip.

I agree with you This situation though was at 40 or 45 MPH with tires coming off the rims so that's not really minor IMO.

If the crash met NHTSA standards for minor crashes then my answer might be different, I can't speak for anyone else. I don't think I'm OVERLY conservative on seat replacement.

I agree with you both. This crash, at that speed, IMO, is too much to consider re-using the seats again.

On top of that, I would only feel comfortable re-using seats after a crash if it were truly an emergency situation, where the kids absolutely had to be transported and there was no other way, period. I don't see that happening much. If the parent has enough $$ to order a seat online, they should have enough $ to buy a $40 Scenera at Wal-Mart to hold them over until the ordered seat arrives. To me, waiting on an ordered seat is not enough reason to make a child ride in a crashed seat. That is not an emergency.

If I've ever said a crashed seat CAN be re-used, it's been in this context: that I'm sure a crashed and/or expired seat is better than no seat at all for a child if a crash happened, but everyone needs to understand why it should only be an emergency measure. A new seat is ALWAYS preferable if the crashed seat doesn't meet NHTSA guidelines or the manufacturer says to replace.

 

[southpawboston]

I am a tech and woulld tell a parent to walk before I would tell them to use an unsafe seat!!!!

hmm... on a busy road with traffic and no sidewalk? in the dark? no risk there? how about assessing all the potential risks for a particular situation?

 

[azgirl71]

hmm... on a busy road with traffic and no sidewalk? in the dark? no risk there? how about assessing all the potential risks for a particular situation?

In those circumstances I am sure they would have common sence not to walk. I still would not recommend they use a CRS that has been involved in an collision. Yes every situation is different. If a parent chooses to use a CRS that has been in an collision that is thier parental decsion. NOT my recommendation. Tough choices are made by the paerent/caregiver not the tech! That is the point I was making to her when she said tech's say it is fine. Not this tech.

 

[Smee]

Personally I think the main criteria here is whether the seat/s suffered any stress to the moulding/harness.

If they have then you really do need to replace them asap as you don't want to be in another accident and have the harness or seat itself fail.

 

[UlrikeDG]

I know I've read that you should use the seats you have to get to the hospital/home and replace them ASAP. It's not OK to use them to drive around for days afterward. OTOH, walking is neither safe nor feasible in many situations, and most families don't have spare seats. If I got in a crash today, my oldest two would be OK, because my FIL bought them seats for his car, but I would have an expired seat for the baby and an illegal German booster for my 37 lb 4 year old who normally rides in a 5 point harness because she's not mature enough for a booster. I would use the crashed seats to get home and to the store to buy new ones. I would not order new seats online, because of the delay in receiving them. Oh, and if FIL were out of town, I'd be SOL for my older two, as well.

 

[Lea_Ontario]

Personally I think the main criteria here is whether the seat/s suffered any stress to the moulding/harness.

If they have then you really do need to replace them asap as you don't want to be in another accident and have the harness or seat itself fail.

Unfortunately, you can't always SEE the damage to the moulding on the seat or on the harness, so a visual inspection won't tell you if the seat is safe still.

Yes, use it to get home if you have to. Then get something new and SAFE ASAP.

 

[Victorious4]

I live on a 150 acres of rural farm land off a highway (walking is NOT an option for us) Also, touching back on what Kashi said -- while the ideal situation may be to simply leave a child at home with a trusted/reponsible adult ... as a single mom living below the poverty line myself, I can understand that this may not always be an option: however, I personally would do everything in my power to try to make it happen so that I could go buy a replacement seat without risking kiddo having to ride in a crash seat :twocents:

 

[azgirl71]

Ok This is what my Instructors opinion on seats involved in a collision is....Posting this with his permission.

"Ok here is the thing. When replacing a car seat one has two options when it comes to the insurance. Either the seat is replaced through the manufactuer and they have to wait for a seat to 'come in' or they purchase a new seat and insurance reimburses them.
Ok so here is an elaboration to my first responce. First I would have the parent contact the insurance company to see if the offer reimbursment. If so it's simple, have child watched and go buy new seat. Simple. However this sounds like that she had to order a seat at it is transition. Now she has a couple options: 1- find a loner program which is extremly rare anymore or 2 - use the seat she has. Now although we never recomend using a seat that has been in a collision, remember best practice. Lets say child aboslutly cannot be babysat by anyone (i.e no one is available) and they cannot walk for whatever reason. SO mom HAS to without a doubt transport child in the vehicle. Ask the best practice question: Which is worse, transporting the child in no child seat or transporting in one that has been in a collision. The worse of the two evils is no seat. So although it is NOT recomended that this parent use the seat involved in a crash, it is the best practice in this case unfortunitly. Make sence?"

So best practice would be use the CR *IF* there is no other option, but letthe parent make that descision.

 

[Splash79]

And that's what I said. If the parent HAS to use the seat, then a crashed one is better than no seat at all. I don't see any problem with my statement? I didn't tell her to go gallavanting around town with her kids in crashed seats to pick up dry cleaning or go to mcdonalds. Only if she HAD to.

The OP stated that there are no stores near enough to just go and buy new seats. She has to order them. Also, if there aren't stores near enough to buy seats, then I doubt there is public transportation nearby, or that it would be safe or even possible to walk. Therefore she has to either borrow seats or used the crashed ones. I know I don't have any friends that can just loan me their carseat, as they need it for their own child. Certainly I would not keep my child out of school for a week while I waited for new carseats to arrive. That just makes no sense. A crashed seat IS safer than NOTHING!

 

[CDNTech]

Certainly I would not keep my child out of school for a week while I waited for new carseats to arrive.

This hardly counts as a reason to use a crashed seat. If you read the previous posts correctly, it was stated that it is a parental decision to make, but it is NEVER endorsed and only for *true* emergencies... hospital, to get home from the collision, hospital visit, necessity to pick up a new seat.

Children miss school for a week all the time and it's generally due to vacation... not carseat replacement.

 

[UlrikeDG]

I think this topic has been covered from all angles now. I'm locking it, because there's no reason to beat a dead horse.