Car seats don't expire???

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estelle0702

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #1

I was watching my local news and a car seat "expert" said the thing about plastics in car seats starting to deteriorate after 6 years was untrue. She said if the seat has never been in an accident and has no visible cracks then it's safe to use. Did I miss something or is this lady wrong?

 

Starlight

Senior Community Member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #2

Ah, everyone is an expert now, right?

She's completely and totally wrong.

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #3

There's a video on YouTube of a 10-year old Britax seat. It's crash-tested, and the harness completely rips out of the shell.

 

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estelle0702

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #4

OMGBOYSSSSSS said:

Ah, everyone is an expert now, right?

She's completely and totally wrong.

Click to expand...

I know, right? I was just shocked she was telling our entire city that misinformation. It's bad enough I rarely see people using their car seats correctly as it is.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #5

You should contact the news station with the statements from different manufacturers, the Britax 10 year old crash test, and the info from Safe Kids and the NHTSA on this. That is DANGEROUS misinformation to be spreading.

Also, damage from being improperly stored, washed straps, or even an accident is not always visible. So using a seat whose history you don't know is also something she probably doesn't care about, but it's dangerous too.

 

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ed_tricia

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #6

Has that person never seen toys a kid left in the backyard? In many cases they are thinner plastic, but even the heavy duty stuff that slides or tables for kids are made of will fade, crack, and can break when stepped on. That's not a risk I would be willing to take! I'm shocked a news station would air such a thing, as that goes against thousands of other "experts" and they should be worried about liability.

 

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Vicki J

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #7

Definitely contact your news station, or wherever that woman came from. She is completely off her rocker! Even a 10-year old car shows severe wear over time and needs to be replaced. Not to mention updated technology and crash testing with newer cars. Ten year old seats wouldn't even have LATCH available, the woman is truly on crack.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Mar 2, 2009

• #8

*bangs head into brick wall*

Do you have contact information?

 

Mommy0608

New member

• Mar 3, 2009

• #9

Here is a link to the video showing that the harness rips right out of a 10 year old Britax seat in a crash test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvCRz7BRAM0

I agree with everyone. That is VERY dangerous misinformation to be spreading! I would most definitely be contacting the news station armed with the correct information.

 

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estelle0702

New member

• Mar 3, 2009

• #10

Ugh, if only I could remember which station it was. It was my mom watching it and I just heard it while doing something else. Both my mom and me heard it though so I know I wasn't mistaken.

I looked at the news stations websites but didn't find anything. I think I'm going to email all of them asking if they had a segment about car seat plastic expiring.

 

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Guest

New member

• Mar 3, 2009

• #11

ed_tricia said:

Has that person never seen toys a kid left in the backyard? In many cases they are thinner plastic, but even the heavy duty stuff that slides or tables for kids are made of will fade, crack, and can break when stepped on. That's not a risk I would be willing to take! I'm shocked a news station would air such a thing, as that goes against thousands of other "experts" and they should be worried about liability.

Click to expand...

That's what I always say. Even plastics in cars show wear after some years of exposure, and that stuff is the real high grade plastic. I like the toys in the backyard example the best tho cuz it shows dramatic degradation and it happens quickly so anyone curious can try it for themselves.

 

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thepaisleybutterfly

New member

• Mar 3, 2009

• #12

wow! i just watched that video.
i am speechless.