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Do you trash carseats exactly when they expire?
Or use it as a general guideline?
One of our Britax seats expires in Nov. I originally thought DD#1 would be ready for a booster by then, and DD#2 would get her Marathon, but now I don't think so.
So what's less safe...a small 4.5 y/o in a booster or in an expired seat?
DD1 12.18.06 DD2 9.18.08 DD3 EDD 5.10.2012
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Re: Do you trash carseats exactly when they expire?
Yes, you do!
What is small exactly? A child is much safer in a seat that's not expired, but depending on size it might be more ideal to get a new harness-booster seat. The technical answer, though, is that she would be far safer in a booster that fits her than in a harness that's expired.
And just like I don't think that 1 is the 'magical' age for milk drinking, I use ground beef past the expiration and soy milk too.
I'm hard pressed to believe that my carseat will be any safer on Oct 31 than it will be on Nov 1.
Christmas 2011
I'd use milk past expiration (if it lasted that long in this house!). But this is a very touchy issue. Would it be fine 1 day past expiration. Yes. A month? Yes. A year? Most likely so. But the fact is that the expiration date is there for a reason. There are some videos that show what happens to a child in an expired carseat--not good. Of course, it isn't 1 day past, but still...
It's just not really worth it IMO.
My DH and I go around and around on this topic - he called Britax just to double check on the expiration dates for our Roundabouts (and in fact they did differ a bit on what we originally thought, so it was a good call to make - they didn't expire as early as I thought they did).
That said, If DD is only 34 lbs, she's realistically at least a full year, if not 2-3 years away from meeting that 40lb mark - I'd consider getting something like the Britax Frontier that will last you for years (whether using it with DD#1 or #2, since their expiration dates are 7? years... lord, I can't remember now).
I think they do it in the fall too. so, I would buy a new one then. i'm annoyed that one of mine expires in Nov too (even though DS has outgrown it). You'd think that something that costs $300 and has a 65 lbs weight limit would last a little longer!
I'm going to feel physically sick when I put that thing on the curb.
If you use a $300 carseat for 4 years, that's less than $7/month. Worth it to replace it when they say to.
BTW, when your seat is expired and you're getting rid of it, make sure you cut the straps out and take a sledgehammer to it so no one else uses it.
This. I actually saw someone dig a car seat out of the trash at our old place.
We have a place that recycles them here, so I just drop the seats off.
No. I gave my 2005 & 2007 infant carseats to Goodwill at the beginning of the year.
Around here, I am sure there are people who would have to go without because in some areas the poor are really poor. I think its safer to use an expired carseat (and I don't buy that they "expire" either- I too think its a gimmick) as opposed to nothing or something much, much older (which is very common). I figure if Goodwill didn't want it, they'd get rid of it appropriately. I wouldn't use an expired carseat either due to liability but I can afford a new one.
DS1's Marathon expires in October 2012. He will be 5, so weather he is 40lbs or not. He will get a booster then.
*whether
I'm guessing you mean a 5 pt harness. I can't imagine putting a child in a seat in which he isn't ready for yet, because his current seat has expired.
Nope. He will go to a booster; he is 34/35 lbs now (according to the dentist- his last appt), I think in one year, he will be close enough to 40lbs @ age 5. This is of course, assuming he is mature enough for one...(Texas doesn't have a law on the weight of a booster--just boostered until age 8 or 4'9).
(whoops, spelling was never my strong subject).
Interesting.
Goodwill will not take car seats at all here. Nor will a few baby consignment shops. I have seen them at consignment sales, but not at any actual stores. Too big of a liability.
I do buy that they expire. It is the the actual dating that I question. Ex: All graco seats expire in December of the 6th year (talking infant/convertible), and Britax Classic seats expire in 6 years but to the month of manufacture. So, why wouldn't my Britax be good til the end of the year as well?
I can get on board with this logic, but some of the other responses here make me twitchy. I don't understand how you can not "buy" the idea of carseats expiring. Of course they do. Fact, plastic degrades over time. This is not something that car seat manufacturers made up, it is a scientific fact. Of course it isn't exactly the day after the seat expires, they are making their best guess. Could it last another year? Sure. Another 2 years? Possibly, but why risk it, kwim?
Kelly Monaghan's 5K - 5/15/11 - 3rd Place in AG
Walk the Talk 5K - 5/18/11 - 31:12 PR
Ridley Run 3.1 - 4/14/12 - 1st race of the year, 32:45
Honestly,I'm not trying to be snarky, why don't cars expire? My DH drives an '89 Volvo that was built to last. Seriously it is the cockroach of cars, I've tried killing it, trust me. Is he safer driving an '89 Volvo or a brand new bottom basement cheap compact? Nothing else automotive related expires, nothing. No internal parts, no plastic bumpers, no interior pieces. Of course moving parts wear out, but safety-related plastic (i.e. crash resistant bumpers, etc) do not. Why do car seats? Plastic is plastic, and you can make last. Any automotive experts on? I'm fine w/ it if there is a reason besides plastic degrading. I can't get behind them not being able to make a car seat made to last out of plastic that doesn't degrade in 5 years.
Christmas 2011
A car isn't made entirely of plastic.
Anyway, I really don't get why people get upset about this. It's just not worth it to risk it IMO.
No snark here either, but cars aren't made entirely of plastic, they have a metal frame that if you were in an accident would conceivably absorb some of the shock of the impact. I just feel, that as a parent, I have a responsbility to do everything that I can to keep my children safe, and if that means buying a new carseat after 6 years because the plastic shell of mine could have possibly degraded, then so be it. Honestly, it's a small price to pay imho.
Kelly Monaghan's 5K - 5/15/11 - 3rd Place in AG
Walk the Talk 5K - 5/18/11 - 31:12 PR
Ridley Run 3.1 - 4/14/12 - 1st race of the year, 32:45
ummm, how do you know he's not ready for the seat? some boosters do say for children 35lb+ and if the child is over 35lb and is tall enough and mature enough, the booster will be safe and the child will be "ready."
It also has to do with safety standards changing. An example being going from a 3 point harness to a 5 point harness. A lot of things can change in 6 years.