Do I really need to cut the straps of an expired carseat?

[Susie]

I've seen people offer up expired car seats on my town's mom swap board, full disclosure of expiration date, for purposes of using it for a trade in event.

[thebreakfastclub]

Interesting question when posed alongside of the poll about unexpected $400 expenses. That kind of puts it in perspective.

Anyway, I'd offer it up with full disclosure.

I don't think that car seats spoil the same way milk does in the fridge, although that's not a popular opinion around here.

[pinotgrig]

If you can't bring yourself to cut the straps, how about reaching out to a local CPST and see if they could use it for demos/training something? I have no idea of that's a thing, though. @fivedogs? pooh8402?

I don't think I'd personally feel comfortable offering it for free. If I'm not willing to use it on my kid, I wouldn't feel comfortable with some else's using it.

[noodleoo]

All the FB BST groups that I am part of specifically say you can't do car seats at all.

[ECB]

Apr 21, 2016 9:20:18 GMT -5 @starry said:

Flameful but I think I'd let my own kid in an expired carseat. But I haven't researched the risks so maybe I'm totally wrong. I just am dubious how much of this is about safety vs $$$$ for Big Carseat.

Don't disagree one bit.

[olivesyou]

Apr 21, 2016 9:20:18 GMT -5 @starry said:

Flameful but I think I'd let my own kid in an expired carseat. But I haven't researched the risks so maybe I'm totally wrong. I just am dubious how much of this is about safety vs $$$$ for Big Carseat.

I have to agree with this.  I have never even heard of car seats expiring in real life, only on this board.  I've even had mine checked at the fire station, and they never mentioned we need to keep an eye on the expiration date.  Question - about how long do they last?  I don't know if the one my younger child is in now is expired, we used it for my older child too so its a few years old at this point 

[jeaniebueller]

I wouldn't give it to someone, even for free. I understand your thought process here, but it feels squicky to me. If I really wanted to help someone that couldn't afford a seat, I would donate a new seat or cash to an organization that buys seats for people who need them.

ETA: DD rode in an infant seat for 5 months past it expiration date, so I am not a stickler for my own kids.

[thebreakfastclub]

Apr 21, 2016 9:20:18 GMT -5 @starry said:

Flameful but I think I'd let my own kid in an expired carseat. But I haven't researched the risks so maybe I'm totally wrong. I just am dubious how much of this is about safety vs $$$$ for Big Carseat.

Yeah I'd do the same. I have no clue when my son's convertible expires, but if it was now, I'd use it for another year until he was ready for a high back booster.

[ECB]

Apr 21, 2016 9:07:44 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

Interesting question when posed alongside of the poll about unexpected $400 expenses. That kind of puts it in perspective.

 

This is exactly what went through my head.  Yes, there is a wide array of levels of carseats.  You don't HAVE to spend $300 on one.

But for the fact that SO many people out there can't come up w/ $400 in cash in an emergency, if someone wants my free carseat?  Have at it.  Especially as I'm in agreement with Starry about the reasons behind expiration dates...

[simpsongal]

Apr 21, 2016 9:20:18 GMT -5 @starry said:

Flameful but I think I'd let my own kid in an expired carseat. But I haven't researched the risks so maybe I'm totally wrong. I just am dubious how much of this is about safety vs $$$$ for Big Carseat.

Um... is this where I confess that I never checked the expiration dates on the car seats I got hand-me-down from my boss (I think they're at least 4 years old).

So yeah, being honest, I'd post on CL w/full disclosure re: expiration.

[peggy]

swizz, Honestly, I'd post it for free with the caveat that it expires in May 2016. I've seen too many babies/toddlers in totally inappropriate (or no) restraints. A used car seat may very well protect them better than being held on a lap in the front seat of a mini van, which I drove past last week. It's likely also better than an infant bucket seat being installed incorrectly forward facing, which I saw last year.

[polarbearfans]

I would post it with full disclosure. I don't think that June 1 the seat is suddenly unsafe. Maybe someone just needs it a short time to get to the next stage? I would think it would be safer than no seat.

[aspentosh]

I'd post it with full disclosure.

[glauren]

ITA with others - you may enable a family the ability to have an age/size appropriate car seat they would otherwise not be able to afford.

[cjeanette]

I would put it on the curb for big pick-up day or maybe even regular trash day if your city allows. If someone needs it they will find it.

[VillainV]

I'd post with full disclosure and give it away for free to someone who wanted/needed it. BRU does trade-ins often enough, I'd make sure the person taking the seat knew about the next trade-in event.

Offering to a CPST to use for training/demo is another good option.

ETA: yes, to people struggling financially, maybe any seat is better than no seat. I have trouble giving up something I know could potentially be unsafe, and if I ever found out that an expired seat didn't adequately protect a kiddo, I'd hate myself forever. This thread makes me realize I should probably find a way to donate new seats to people who need them....

[hermione]

I'm not commenting on the situation Swizz is talking about (for which I'm struggling to form my own thoughts on) but for others who mentioned possibly using expired car seats themselves, your insurance may be nullified based on the expiration date - just an fyi.

[vamoose]

I tend to be risk averse and I would worry too much about being sued and any potential liability from providing a car seat that I know to be expired. I'm sure this is unlikely when you are up front about the facts, but it is certainly possible.

[peggy]

If you're worried about being sued, can you provide a disclaimer they need to sign?

www.google.com/search?q=car+seat+disclaimer+form&oq=car+seat+discl&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2j69i64.3375j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[pooh8402]

Personally, I feel squicky about offering it on CL, even for free and with full disclosure. If something ever happened to the child while in that seat, that is on me (and on the parent who took a free, expired seat). It just scares me too much worrying about the what if. Plastic does break down over time juat from exposure and temperature changes.

But yes, CPSTs can always use expired seats for training and demos. You can find your local CPST on safekids.org.

[ktw]

How does the BRU trade in event work? Could you trade the old seat in for a new one at the next event, and then donate the new seat to someone in need?

[Deleted]

Apr 21, 2016 9:20:18 GMT -5 @starry said:

Flameful but I think I'd let my own kid in an expired carseat. But I haven't researched the risks so maybe I'm totally wrong. I just am dubious how much of this is about safety vs $$$$ for Big Carseat.

Not flameful at all. My kids have likely used "expired" seats since I've never actually looked for expiration dates on their seats (pretty sure my oldest DDs sets didn't have a so called expiration date on them when I bought them 9 and 10 years ago) and I've used most of the same seats for three kids.

[spk926]

I wouldn't feel okay giving away or selling an expired car seat. Car seats have expiration dates for a reason and it's not for me to decide if the date at which the plastic has deteriorated has occurred yet or when it will occur. That's why manufacturers have expiration dates; so we don't have to guess.

If you gave away a seat that expired a month ago (for example) it's probably fine, but what about when it hits 6 months, 1 year, 3 years past it's expiration and it's still being used by the family you gifted it to?

I understand your conflicted thoughts, but I just don't think I could do it.

[Deleted]

Is this where I also confess that DH gave the three seats (convertible, harnessed booster, and regular booster) that he was in an accident with (hit a deer, but car was undriveable so insurance replaced the seats, seats were probably fine as The impact was different than an accident hitting something fixed in place) to a newly single dad who couldn't afford car seats for his DD with the full disclosure that they had been in an accident and all that? I was not happy at him for that, but that guy's DD is probably better sitting in those seats than no seat I guess.

[ktw]

Apr 21, 2016 9:59:55 GMT -5 swizz said:

Apr 21, 2016 9:58:48 GMT -5 ktw said:

How does the BRU trade in event work? Could you trade the old seat in for a new one at the next event, and then donate the new seat to someone in need?

You trade for a 20% off coupon. I'm not in a financial space to be able to make a donation like that right now -- I just have a car seat I need to get rid of... somehow.

Ah, I figured it was something like that. Could you trade it in and then give the coupon to someone in need, or an organization? Might be a happy medium, and I assume BRU destroys the expired seats or does something with them. I understand not wanting to destroy what appears to be a perfectly good seat, and I understand the idea that a (barely) expired seat seems better than no seat at all, but I would not give away an expired seat. Car seat safety is one of my hills to die on, though.

[krystee]

I would probably put it at the curb (with straps not cut) with a note saying expires May 2016, and leave it up to the universe whether it gets thrown out or someone who needs it takes it. I would not feel comfortable actively seeking someone out to take an expired seat.

[Mrs.flang]

I keep going back and forth on this when I read each side's opinion.

I think it would be worse if it was already long expired, but I would feel better about giving it away now that its still a month before expiration.  So if you go that route, do it quickly!

[IrishBelle]

Is this where I should confess that I kept using our seats even after they were expired? I think as long as it is in good condition and has never been in an accident, that someone could use it.

[thebreakfastclub]

I can't even find an expiration date on my Marathon. It just says manufactured 09/2013. If I have to take it out to see the date on the back, that's not happening.

[Susie]

Sometimes we have posts about how MMM differs from IRL. I think this is one of those times. I don't know about you, but I'm having trouble picturing an IRL conversation in any of my circles that goes: "Hey, I have an almost expired car seat that I need to clear out of my house, is there anything I can do with it that feels less wasteful than cutting the straps?" "No, but you can buy a brand new one and donate it."