Why should I be concerned with using a
second-hand safety seat?
There are several issues surrounding used child
safety seats, so in general they are not
recommended. Here are a few of the concerns:
- The full history of a second-hand safety
seat may be unknown. It may have been damaged in
a previous crash, weakened by inappropriate use
and storage, or otherwise compromised.
- All of the original parts, instructions and
labels may not be present and in good condition.
Parts substituted from other models are
inappropriate, as are other user modifications,
and can compromise the safety of the seat.
- The safety seat may be recalled. Missing or
damaged labels may make that difficult to
assess, and determining whether a recalled part
has been repaired or replaced can also be
difficult.
- The safety seat may be too old. Most
manufacturers agree that a safety seat that is
more than six years old should not be used. This
is primarily due to the facts that performance
standards frequently change and
incorporating new technologies protect children
better. In addition, replacement parts and
instructions may no longer be available for
older safety seats, and manufacturers may no
longer be in business.
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