You may put a sticker on your car reading "baby on board" to alert other road users, but you can be proactive by having a baby car seat too. Car seats are so important in protecting children from fatal injuries that all the US states made it illegal to drive without one if you have a child. While seat belts reduce the risk of death and severe injuries by 50%, car seats decrease injury risk by 54% in children under four years.
However, did you know that, like any other product, car seats also have an expiration date? Below we get into the details of why they expire and what the expiration dates mean. We will also focus on Britax car seats, particularly when exactly they expire and what you should do with yours once it expires. So, read on to find out how you can enhance your child's safety by using a valid car seat.
Table Of Contents
What Do Car Seat Expiration Dates Mean?
Why Do Car Seats Expire?
Technological advancements
Deterioration
Discontinuation and Recalls
Britax Expiration Dates and Where to Find Expiration Date on Britax Car Seat
What to Do with Your Britax Car Seat When It Expires
Donate Your Used Car Seat
Trade In Your Used Car Seat
Recycle Your Used Car Seat
Trash It
Wrapping Up
What Do Car Seat Expiration Dates Mean?
You usually are very careful when shopping for perishables to prevent food poisoning, but what happens when you discover that your car seat is about to expire? Should you be worried that traffic police will arrest you if you are found driving with an expired seat?
Well, car seat expiration dates are only meant to estimate the number of years that the seat will protect your baby before factors such as deterioration and technological advancements make it redundant. Usually, most car seats expire between 6 and 10 years after the manufacture date. Therefore, you should always check yours when buying to ensure it can serve you for a longer period.
The expiration dates do not necessarily mean that the seat has become useless immediately after that day. It is not even illegal to have an expired car seat. The truth is, in the United States, car seat manufacturers are not required by law to put an expiry date on the product. However, reputable car seat manufacturers do so to make users aware that they can only guarantee the product's safety for a limited period.
Why Do Car Seats Expire?
Some people reason that manufacturers emphasize car seats expiring as a marketing ploy. However, it is not a tactic to increase sales for car seat manufacturers; these products expire, and there are various reasons why they do:
Technological advancements
You cannot compare a phone manufactured a decade ago with the one you are currently using because of the features added. Similarly, car seats produced years ago cannot offer the same features as the recent ones. Regardless of how well-maintained it is, an old car seat will lack some enhancements vital to saving lives.
Crash tests are always being done to ensure that advanced technology to improve the chances of survival during accidents is installed with each recent production. Britax is known for its safety technology; thus, it employs SafeCell Impact Protection in its car seats. Therefore, the infant seats have an impact-absorbing base, different side impact protection levels, and impact- stabilizing frame.
Older car seats lack some of these advanced technological features; hence replacing them before or as soon as they expire is crucial.
Deterioration
Car seats usually remain in the car for long periods; therefore, they are exposed to changing weather conditions. The heat, cold, and humidity will eventually take a toll on the seat's materials, reducing its quality. Plastic is especially affected by extreme heat or cold, and the expansion and contraction will negatively affect the car seat. Therefore if the plastic looks faded, yet it was originally gray or black, has dents, or cracks, it is time to get a new car seat.
Rust in the metal frames also reduces safety during a collision, as supported by crash tests conducted in Sweden. A rusty chassis and body increase the likelihood of death by 20%, so you can imagine what little chances your child has of surviving in an accident if placed in a rusty car seat.
Regular wear and tear from everyday use also deteriorate your car seats. As much as you may try to maintain it, you cannot prevent it from showing signs of the years it has served you. When it starts showing, be sure to replace it.
Discontinuation and Recalls
Upon purchasing a car seat, it is important to register it with the manufacturer to keep you updated with any news regarding the product. If a recall happens, it usually means that the car seat is faulty, and using it will defeat its purpose. In most cases, the faults can be fixed, but if they cannot, then the manufacturer will discontinue production and inform users to stop using it.
Discontinuation could also be due to changing standards that make previous models unfit to use. When car seats are discontinued, getting replacement parts becomes a challenge; thus, you might as well get the newer model.
Britax Expiration Dates and Where to Find Expiration Date on Britax Car Seat
Here is a table that includes Britax infant car seat expiration dates and owners manuals.
model | expiration date | expiration date location | manual |
|---|---|---|---|
B-Safe 35 | 6 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on infant car seat and base. | |
B-Safe 35 Elite | 6 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on infant car seat and base. | |
Endeavours | 6 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on infant car seat and base. | |
B-Safe Ultra | 6 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on infant car seat and base. |
Britax Convertible Car Seat Expiration Date and Owners Manuals:
model | expiration date | expiration date location | manual |
|---|---|---|---|
Advocate ClickTight ARB Convertible Car Seat | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Advocate ClickTight Convertible Car Seat | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Marathon ClickTight ARB Convertible Car Seat | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Britax® Essentials™ Allegiance | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Britax® Essentials™ Emblem | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. | |
Britax® One4Life ClickTight All-in-One | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Located on label under seat cover. |
Britax Booster Car Seat Expiration Dates and Owners Manuals:
model | expiration date | expiration date location | manual |
|---|---|---|---|
Frontier ClickTight | 9 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on back of car booster | |
Pinnacle ClickTight | 9 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on back of car booster | |
Pioneer Harness-2-Booster Seat | 9 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on back of car booster | |
Highpoint Belt-Positioning Booster | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on bottom of booster (under User Guide) | |
Britax® Essentials™ Skyline Belt-Positioning Booster | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on bottom of booster (under User Guide) | |
Midpoint Belt-Positioning Booster | 10 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on bottom of booster (under User Guide) | |
DualFit Harness-2-Booster | 9 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on back of car booster | |
Grow With You (Regular, ClickTight, and Plus) | 9 years after the date of manufacture. | Label on back of car booster |
What to Do with Your Britax Car Seat When It Expires
Donate Your Used Car Seat
An expired car seat means that the child's safety is no longer optimal, so you cannot donate it to other people regardless of its good condition. However, it can come in handy in demonstration classes. Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs ) are car seat experts trained in car seats, harnessing procedures, and vehicle differences. They put their knowledge to practice through community presentation and child car seat safety checks.
Since we learn better by observing, a CPST will have better chances of passing on the information regarding car seats to caregivers by demonstrating with a car seat. Therefore, before you trash yours, make sure that your CPST does not need one.
Trade In Your Used Car Seat
There is no use in holding on to an expired car seat when you can get a new one at a discount. Target is popularly known for its trade-in program, and although the 2020 one has expired, you can be on the lookout for the next one. The trade-in program does not mind even if your expired car seat is in bad shape. They also accept all kinds of car seats, including convertible car seats, infant car seats, car seat bases, and booster seats.
With its wide online selection, Target.com will provide you with many options for the car seat, based on color and brand. So, you might be lucky and get another Britax car seat if you are loyal to the brand. The coupons are usually for use in-store or online. You can also opt for the Walmart trade-in program, which offers a $30 gift card instead of a 20% discount.
Recycle Your Used Car Seat
If your children are past the age of using car seats, you can decide to recycle the expired car seat. However, you should note that the curbside recycling program does not normally accept infant car seats, so be sure to check that there is a local recycling program near you and ask them if they accept plastic from the seat. If they do, ask how they like it delivered; some do not mind the car seat brought in without dismantling while others request that you break it down first.
If they prefer dismantling it first, remove any unrecyclable materials they will not need, such as padding, fabric, and metal. You can then take the recyclable plastic parts to the program. Still, if this sounds like too much work for you, there are recycling programs that require you to pay for the shipping box and follow a certain guideline.
Trash It
If you cannot recycle it, trade it in or donate it, you should trash it. Before you do, take the seat apart to avoid a desperate family taking it and putting their child at risk. Like when taking it to the recycling plant, remove the padding, straps, metal, and cover and mark the seat's plastic "unsafe" or "expired."
Wrapping Up
After six or ten years, your car seat is not going to protect your child anymore. Fortunately, there are many options for getting rid of it. Of course, most people who still have a child would go for the trade-in option, but regardless of the method you choose, your mind will be at peace knowing that your child's safety is not compromised by holding on to an expired seat. So, have you checked your car seat's expiration date?
Britax Allegiance Car Seat Review (2023): Safety at an Affordable Price
Britax USA Advocate ClickTight Convertible Car Seat Review
Britax One4Life Review (2023): Stylish Design + Safety Features in Britax’s Newest Model
Britax Marathon Clicktight Review: A Stylish and Comfortable Winner
