Used Car Seats
This one is such a controversial issue! Should you buy a used car seat for your baby or toddler, and if you do, what should you keep in mind and look for? Read on about the pros and cons so that you can make the best choice for your family.
A car seat is a very expensive part of baby gear that you HAVE to have for your baby. It is against the law to have your infant or toddler not in a car seat and many states have laws that say all kids under 60 or 80 pounds have to be in some type of car or booster seat. The cost can certainly add up because until your child is one year old he has to be facing the rear of the car for safety purposes. This means if you have just an infant car seat, at a year you will have to buy a new car seat that can face forwards.
Because of the cost of baby gear, many people try to cut corners and buy used items. Most experts agree that buying used baby gear is a great way to make the most of your money. However, many suggest that parents should draw the line at buying used car seats for safety reasons.
When in a moving vehicle, the only thing protecting your infant or toddler is the car seat that they are in. When you buy a used car seat there are several things unknown to you about it. Until you research it, you don’t know if that car seat has had any recalls done on it for safety purposes. If you are buying it from a stranger, you also do not know if it has been in a car that was in an accident, possibly making it unstable. Even if the person you are buying it from says it wasn’t in an accident, can you trust a stranger to tell you the truth? You may not know how old the car seat is which can make it hard to judge how safe it will keep your child.
Borrowing a car seat from a relative or close friend may generally be okay because you will know already if it was ever in an accident which can take one worry off your chest. If you do your research and feel confident that the car seat is safe, as well as research any recalls that may have been done on the car seat, then a used car seat from a friend or family member may be a good way to save a bundle.
If you buy a new car seat you know that at the point you buy it there have been no recalls done on it, or else the store would have taken it off the shelf. In the box is a postcard you can send into the manufacturer so that you will be contacted when and if there is a recall on your car seat. You will also know for a fact that the car seat has never been in an accident and is stable for your baby. Buying new however you are more likely to spend more money than you would if you bought used.
When it comes to used car seats it is most important that you do your research. After all, it is the health of your baby that is at stake. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission keeps a list of recalls that you can find by clicking here.
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