A lot can happen when you are driving with your child in the backseat. While you may be a cautious driver, road conditions and other distractions can lead to a crash.
Your child counts on you to have a car seat that can help them survive a collision. An essential part of ensuring your car seat is safe is knowing when you need to replace it.
These are some of the times when your child might need a new car seat.
After a crash
There are some crashes where it is clear that you need a new car seat. When your car seat has clear damage, you know you need to purchase a new one.
However, there are also times when it may not be as obvious. Regardless of the size of the crash or how much visible damage you should replace your child’s car seat after every collision. Although you may not see damage to the seat after a minor crash, the impact can damage the integrity of the plastic or other materials, making it more vulnerable if you are involved in another accident.
If it is over six years old
When you look at your child’s car seat, it can be deceiving. It seems sturdy and as though it could last forever if it was not involved in a crash. While the car seat sitting in the garage may appear ok to pass on to your next child, it may still be time to replace it.
Over time, the materials in your child’s car seat are exposed to heat, cold and other climate conditions that can degrade the plastic in the car seat. Keep in mind, when your car seat sits in a vehicle, it is exposed to a broad range of temperatures as well as humidity.
Also, each year car seat manufacturers come up with new ways to make car seats safer and more comfortable for your child. When you replace an old car seat, you ensure that your child can have a safer trip in the car.