Where is the line?

cso1997

Active member
It seems like people replace their seats after every little tiny thing. I mean like bumping up against a post or tapping another car in a parking lot. Does anyone else think it is complete overkill? Seriously, slamming on my brakes hard at highway speeds and NOT hitting anything probably exerts much more force on the seats than backing into a post or similar. To each their own, I suppose.

I am not suggesting that anyone go against their manual. I am just suggesting that "accident" is a pretty broad term. One man's accident is another man's dent, ding or scratch.
 
ADS

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
As a tech, I tell parents to go by what's in their manual.

As a parent, I likely would consider it a *crash* requiring replacement if the impact was such that my seatbelt locked. I would not replace if I backed into the mailbox. Not that I've ever done anything like that, of course.
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
Usually, the manual says to replace after a "crash.". I'm sorry, but I don't define a scrape against a light pole in a parking lot as a crash.

I would advise a parent that if they are unsure whether an event is a crash or not, call the manufacturer. For me, my standard is whether the car was jolted worse than it would be in normal driving. That includes sudden stops or potholes or speed bumps.

I was rear ended at low speeds once with minimal damage to my car. I had a lightly sore neck and a headach for a day. I would define that as a crash. If seats had been in my car (even britax) I would have replaced. My threshold is pretty low. But when my dad broke his tail light on my back bumper? No way. There's definitely a line.
 

mrosehughes

New member
I defer to the manufacturer when deciding whether to replace. Both of my seats have been in very minor accidents that satisfy the 5 criteria necessary to be kept in use. Both times I called the manufacturer (Britax and Diono), and both times was told the seat did not need to be replaced. I'm ok listening to them because I'm sure they know the limits of their seats.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
What I tell parents is if you involve the insurance or police it's a crash. I hit a parked car once coming out of my alleyway once. I was going about 5 mph and the car was still. Other than noise, there was no damage to my car or theirs. If Piper hadn't heard it as well I wouldn't have thought it actually happened. I didn't replace my seats.

When I was hit by a guy who was hit by a drunk driver, both their cars totaled, technically my seat (Britax Advantage) was ok, as the five criteria were met for a "minor" crash. But $3000 to my back hatch, two totaled cars, four airbags having gone off (none of mine), and the police and two insurance companies involved, I replaced the seat.

Wendy
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
In California the law is that insurance companies have to replace seats that were in a car that was part of a claim. So, I guess any crash that causes damage over the deductible amount? :p

I, personally, would not replace under certain circumstances. I bumped a car while pulling into a parking spot once. It caused about $2000 in damage to each car, but it was the teensiest, tiniest little bump. I didn't even think about replacing the seat. (We didn't go trough insurance, otherwise it would have been replaced by law.)

So...it kinda depends.
 

Cath3114

New member
When I bumped a lady at a stoplight, I didn't replace. DD didn't even wake up. I was not jolted. The only damage was scraped paint.

When I was rear-ended at 30mph and the entire back end of my SUV shifted up and to the side, pinning the door closest to DD's seat, yeah, I replaced.
 

ConnorsMommy

New member
A few years ago, my husband and a friend of ours accidentally backed into each other in a parking lot. They were going less than 5 mph. Our car had no damage and our friends car had a small dent in the bumper. We didn't replace my son's RF convertible seat.
In 2009, my son and I were in an accident that totaled my Subaru (bent a frame rail). The air bags didn't go off due to where the impact was, but I wasn't able to drive the car other than to move it out of the road. I had back/neck pain and had to go to a chiropractor for a while. We replaced my son's FF Radian.
I agree that people need to be reasonable when it comes to car seat replacement after an accident.
 

thtr4me

New member
My husband was hit a few years back while stopped. I think the guy that hit him was trying to change lanes at a stoplight and hit my husband's car. DS1 was just an infant, but did not even wake up. We did not replace the seat, although seeing the baby in the back when he got out to see what he had done, sure sent the other driver into a panic!

There was some minimal scrapping of paint to our car. If I remember correctly, we did have it go through his insurance since it was not cheap to get things re-painted. But I don't think there was even a dent, just paint removed.
 

Cath3114

New member
Brianna said:
I wouldn't replace if the jolt to the car was less than a speed bump or a bad pothole.

If bad potholes were reason enough to replace a seat, I would be replacing weekly. The roads in New Orleans are terrible. Another benefit to living below sea level. They shift and cave in randomly and the city can't keep up.
 

sevan76

New member
I'm in this boat right now. A few weeks back, my husband swiped a mailbox and knocked the glass out of the side view mirror. My daughter was in the car in her seat at the time. It didn't even cross my mind to replace her seat. Fast forward a few weeks, and my husband gets t-boned in a parking lot. My daughter was not in the car. Seems like it was a relatively minor accident but the entire door and part of the frame around the door have to be replaced. The car seat manual says to replace if the seat is involved in any accident. Is her seat safe to still use? Possibly, but how do I know for sure? I'm asking to have it replaced. If that gets denied then I'll replace it out of pocket but won't be able to get a seat equivalent to what she has now. I guess I'd just rather be safe than sorry.
 

Raegansmom4

New member
I'm in this boat right now. A few weeks back, my husband swiped a mailbox and knocked the glass out of the side view mirror. My daughter was in the car in her seat at the time. It didn't even cross my mind to replace her seat. Fast forward a few weeks, and my husband gets t-boned in a parking lot. My daughter was not in the car. Seems like it was a relatively minor accident but the entire door and part of the frame around the door have to be replaced. The car seat manual says to replace if the seat is involved in any accident. Is her seat safe to still use? Possibly, but how do I know for sure? I'm asking to have it replaced. If that gets denied then I'll replace it out of pocket but won't be able to get a seat equivalent to what she has now. I guess I'd just rather be safe than sorry.

I'd definitely replace if there is frame damage to the car. You're making a wise choice - hopefully the insurance will pay.
 

sevan76

New member
I'd definitely replace if there is frame damage to the car. You're making a wise choice - hopefully the insurance will pay.

Thanks :) I spoke with the adjuster today. She says that once she gets my old seat (not sure how that's going to work because the adjuster that looked at my husbands car refused to take the seat with him and I refuse to pay shipping costs) and I send her a receipt for my replacement seat, that she will reimburse for part of the cost. She says that if I wanted a $50 Safety 1st seat replaced, she'd cut me a check no questions asked but since I have a "luxury" seat (Radian), they'll have look into justifying the cost of such a seat. . . blah, blah, blah. She's basing that on the $200 I paid for my damaged seat. Looks like a new one will run $240+ and I'm supposed to get the same model or equivalent within the same brand.
 

ninejr

New member
I think there is a line, we actually just made this decision this week. DH was bumped by a guy at a stop light (slick road, guy slid into him). No damage to either vehicle (not even scratched paint). A was with him and didn't even know anything happened. No headache or soreness next day. We chose not to replace the seats.
 

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