For parents of young children, car seats are — or should be — part of everyday travel. But, for as routine as this essential equipment is, there are some things that aren’t commonly known about car seats.
According to Children’s Wisconsin data, proper use of car seats reduces the risk of injury in a motor vehicle crash by between 71% and 82%.
National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 15-21, is the perfect time to revisit some of the most surprising facts about the subject.
Car seats expire.
You will want to think twice before accepting that hand-me-down car seat from your neighbor or dusting off that one used by your older children years ago.
But why? Car seats expire.
Car seats usually expire four to 12 years after their manufacture date. Expiration dates may be printed directly on the seat or on a manufacturer’s label attached to the seat. Sometimes, car seat manufacturers will require the owner to calculate the expiration date themselves, based on its given manufacture date and lifespan.
Jim Savage, a program manager in the Children’s Wisconsin Safety Center, previously explained there are two reasons why car seats expire. First, its materials may wear down over time. Second, just like with cars, manufacturers are continuously learning new ways to maximize safety.
Even non-severe crashes can render a car seat unusable.
Savage said that no matter how small a car crash is, caregivers should contact the car seat’s manufacturer to determine if it is still safe to use, even if the seat looks fine. Sometimes, the manufacturer may advise the seat shouldn’t be used even if there wasn’t a child occupying the seat at the time of the crash, Savage said.
In a moderate or serious crash, do not use the seat again and dispose of it immediately.
“Car seats are designed to absorb crash energy to keep the child passenger safe and protected. Even though a car seat may appear undamaged after an accident, the structural integrity could be compromised even if the seat was unoccupied during the crash,” Savage said.
For more, visit bit.ly/carseataftercrash. To view this information in Spanish, visit bit.ly/carseataftercrashespañol.
There are proper ways to dispose of car seats. One way can even land you a Target coupon.
When a car seat expires, or is unsafe because of a crash or another reason, don’t just toss it in the garbage or put it on the curb for big trash pickup.
Dismantle the seat, cut up the cover and harness straps, write a short explanation on the seat of why it’s unsafe in permanent marker, whatever it takes to render it unusable.
Target stores across the nation are having their annual Car Seat Trade-in Event from Sept. 15-28. During these two weeks, Target Circle members who bring in old car seats will receive a 20% off Target Circle Bonus for a new car seat or other select items for young children.
The old seats will be recycled to create new products like pallets, plastic buckets and construction materials, Target’s website says.
Counterfeit car seats exist, and they are dangerous.
Counterfeit car seats are dangerous because they don’t meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards that are required to sell car seats in the United States. These standards, Savage said, detail how car seats must protect the passenger, from design to requiring crash testing.
Just because a car seat is deemed safe for use in other countries does not mean it’s safe by these U.S. standards, Savage said.
He said there has been an influx of counterfeit car seats sold online. People have even reported seeing them on Amazon.com, Kmart.com, Walmart.com, Sears.com and more, according to NHTSA’s complaint logs.
For tips on how to avoid counterfeit car seats, and what to do if you spot one, visit bit.ly/CounterfeitCarSeats.
Child restraint systems are recommended, but not required, on planes. Some are specifically designed for planes.
Children are not required to use child restraint systems, such as car seats, on airplanes. Technically, children younger than 2 don’t need a ticket and can ride on a caregiver’s lap.
However, it’s highly recommended that children use a child restraint system on planes. (This means even if your child is younger than 2, you need to purchase them a seat.)
To use a car seat on an airplane, it must be certified for this use. Savage said this information is typically found on the car seat itself, but it’s also recommended that you check with the airline beforehand.
There are also restraint systems for use specifically in planes. The FFA-approved Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) is for children between 22 and 44 pounds who can sit in their own seat. The CARES device attaches to the airplane seat and the seat’s lap belt to add shoulder straps and a chest clip.
For children taller than 5 feet who require extra upper body support, there’s also a Special CARES product.
For more information about flying with child restraint systems, visit bit.ly/FAAchildseats.
On long drives, young children need breaks from their car seats. This means frequent stops.
For infants and young children, it’s important to make frequent travel stops to remove them from their car seats and reposition them. This helps avoid strain to their breathing that can occur while being in the car seat overtime, and is also why it’s not recommended for children to remain in their car seat once you reach your destination, Savage said.
Savage recommends stopping to give infants a break every two hours, and toddlers a break every three to four hours. This also gives time to change diapers and snack; the American Academy of Pediatrics’ website says to never breastfeed in a moving car.
You can get your car seat installation checked by a certified technician.
A NHTSA study found that nearly half of parents and caregivers have installed their child’s car seat incorrectly, despite believing they knew how to do so correctly.
The good news is there are many places where a certified technician can inspect your car seat and, most of the time, they’ll show you how to correctly install it as well. You can find a car seat inspection station near you by visiting bit.ly/NHTSAcarseatinspection.
Car seats can range from roughly $60 to $550, depending on the type. For financial help when purchasing car seats, reach out to your local health department. Many have programs to help families afford car seats based on income requirements.
Children’s Wisconsin also offers a low-cost car seat program, and can also help find local fit stations to help with car seat installations. Call 1-855-224-8058.
Madison Lammert covers child care and early education across Wisconsin as a Report for America corps member based at The Appleton Post-Crescent. To contact her, email mlammert@gannett.com or call 920-993-7108. Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to Report for America by visiting postcrescent.com/RFA.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Wisconsin expert shares 7 surprising facts about car seats
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