Simple Car Seat Mistakes That Could Have Deadly Consequences

Using an Expired Car Seat

expired car seat

Frank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via Getty Images

A second or third child comes along and it’s easy to be thrifty by throwing them in the same car seat you used for your other children. Unfortunately, car seats have expiration dates, a fact many parents don’t realize.

The expiration date is given because plastics will degrade over time and become less safe than a new or relatively new car seat. My own research found the average amount of time of expiration to be around seven to 10 years. Consult your car seat’s user guide for more information.