British carseats don't expire?!

[minties]

I have someone visiting from London, she's bringing her some carseat with her. Being nosey and into carseat safety, I asked what it was and it is really old! Like 14 years old or something. She said seats don't expire there. Got me curious!

So you can use the same seat for 40 years if you wanted to and no one would bat an eyelid? Grandma could use the same seat her kids and grandkids could then use?

 

[WackyMumof2]

WTF?! That's dangerous! So did a Google search. And she's right - to some degree I guess. But why would ANYONE be willing to risk their child's safety in a carseat that is more than 6 years old (Diono has 10 years) is beyond me!

https://www.goodeggcarsafety.com/blog/do-child-car-seats-expire.html

 

[JessyG]

Its weird isnt it. I am in the uk and when i took my DDs rear facing seat out of the car i checked to see if i could use it for the new baby and i couldnt see an expiration date anyway. I googled and couldnt find anything! Confused me no end.

I bought it for my DD in 2014 and she stopped using it at 3.5 so begining of 2017. I am unsure how much longer i have to use it?

 

[WackyMumof2]

Its weird isnt it. I am in the uk and when i took my DDs rear facing seat out of the car i checked to see if i could use it for the new baby and i couldnt see an expiration date anyway. I googled and couldnt find anything! Confused me no end.

I bought it for my DD in 2014 and she stopped using it at 3.5 so begining of 2017. I am unsure how much longer i have to use it?

I would contact the company of the seat direct and ask them. Even if it's not mandatory law for the UK, I'd be so scared that you could use it past it's life expectancy without realizing it. The fibreglass shells get brittle over time which is why most countries have expiry dates.

That said, although this is for NZ and should NOT be applied to any other country other than NZ, this gives you an idea of lifespans.
https://www.childrestraints.co.nz/expiry-table.php

**EDIT** If there is a Date of Manufacturer (DOM) on your daughter's seat then you go with that. So if the brand of seat you have has been stated by the company to have a life of 6 years, then don't use it 6 years AFTER the DOM if that makes sense.

 

[WackyMumof2]

I have someone visiting from London, she's bringing her some carseat with her. Being nosey and into carseat safety, I asked what it was and it is really old! Like 14 years old or something. She said seats don't expire there. Got me curious!

So you can use the same seat for 40 years if you wanted to and no one would bat an eyelid? Grandma could use the same seat her kids and grandkids could then use?

Just remember, this IS NZ so law will state she will not be allowed to use it - even if she's on holiday. If you jump onto NZ Carseat Discussion Group on Facebook, there are a LOT of these kind of questions that tend to come up. If it's not certified or it's past our expiry, then the purchase of a new seat or hire must be done.

 

[CRWx]

I can’t see people using car seats that are 40 years old tbh... even if there’s nothing illegal about it, I would have thought that common sense would come in to play and people wouldn’t.

It is crazy that there’s no expiration though.

I’ve got to ask though, in countries that do have the 6 year etc thing... what about the multiple stages car seats? The ones that are meant to last until a child is 11/12? Or do you not have them

 

[MindUtopia]

I suspect it depends on the company. Our ERF seat (bought in the UK, but it's a European brand) expires after 10 years.

 

[IchigoMewMew]

I don't think it is law to change a car seat after a specific amount of time in the UK but most manufacturers will state a 'service life' which is around 5-7 years unless you have a 0-3 stage seat then it's about 15-17 years (unless you only ever use it set at one stage then it's still 5-7 for some reason). I agree with the PP who said to check the law in your country in case you need to make other arrangements

 

[Zephram]

I have someone visiting from London, she's bringing her some carseat with her. Being nosey and into carseat safety, I asked what it was and it is really old! Like 14 years old or something. She said seats don't expire there. Got me curious!

So you can use the same seat for 40 years if you wanted to and no one would bat an eyelid? Grandma could use the same seat her kids and grandkids could then use?

In NZ car seats have to be within the expiry date of the seat and they also have to meet specific NZ, Australian, US or European safety standards. It's pretty unlikely that if your friend is bringing a 14 year old car seat from the UK that it will be within expiry date and meet the safety standard. If I were you I'd tell her to leave the seat at home and hire one here.

Check this link as it has a section that talks specifically about visiting NZ with a car seat: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/veh...raints/using-child-restraints-in-new-zealand/

 

[Zephram]

I can’t see people using car seats that are 40 years old tbh... even if there’s nothing illegal about it, I would have thought that common sense would come in to play and people wouldn’t.

It is crazy that there’s no expiration though.

I’ve got to ask though, in countries that do have the 6 year etc thing... what about the multiple stages car seats? The ones that are meant to last until a child is 11/12? Or do you not have them

We do have them. I have Diono Radians for my kids which have a 10 year expiry, which is more than enough time for them to go through every stage. There will be plenty of brands that last long enough.

Not sure about age 11/12 though as I don't know any 11/12 year olds who still use a car seat. Here kids have to be seven or above a certain height - 148cm - before they can be out of a car seat. Most kids would stay in a car seat until they meet the height standard which I believe for many would be older than age 7.

 

[WackyMumof2]

I can’t see people using car seats that are 40 years old tbh... even if there’s nothing illegal about it, I would have thought that common sense would come in to play and people wouldn’t.

It is crazy that there’s no expiration though.

I’ve got to ask though, in countries that do have the 6 year etc thing... what about the multiple stages car seats? The ones that are meant to last until a child is 11/12? Or do you not have them

We do have them. I have Diono Radians for my kids which have a 10 year expiry, which is more than enough time for them to go through every stage. There will be plenty of brands that last long enough.

Not sure about age 11/12 though as I don't know any 11/12 year olds who still use a car seat. Here kids have to be seven or above a certain height - 148cm - before they can be out of a car seat. Most kids would stay in a car seat until they meet the height standard which I believe for many would be older than age 7.

Couple of companies for standards here in NZ have up to 12 years - I know 2 of those are Diono. Olympia and the Rainier from memory. Only because I vaguely remember my youngest sibling saying something about getting one for my nephew. The majority I would have thought to be over the height limits by 10? But unless they are tiny babies, I don't really think a lot of Kiwi kids will be in boosters at 12.

I have the little dude in an RXT and I love it!! Thank God for car seat insane siblings that seem to change their minds every 6 months right? But that expires 2021 I think so he will be needing another Diono. This last baby is going into an RXT at a year old. The $500 odd price tag is well worth such a quality product.

 

[CRWx]

The 12 year old thing is just what I thought I’d seen from some seats- I’ve got no experience with that far down the line though... my DD isn’t 2 yet! Was just curious

 

[ClairAye]

My kids' infant Mamas & Papas one did have one. I haven't checked any other seats though as they weren't used for long until the ones they are in now!

 

[housewifey]

I'm in the UK and this thread has just educated me... I had no idea that there was such a thing as expiration for a car seat!

Car seat safety in the UK is very slack and I feel we are very uneducated in this area, most of what I know has been my own research prompted by discussions on here.

Many people I know forwards face by 6 months, don't tighten the straps on the harness and allow their kids arms to come out from their straps whilst driving. But it's a subject many don't like to take advice on unfortunately.

 

[minties]

Thanks for all the replies!

The the lady who mentioned the NZ carseat group on facebook, I am an active member there thanks! I just had a thread on there asking for help yesterday actually.

I can't say i've ever seen a 12 year old in a full harnessed seat, not here anyway. i do know a girl in the USA in a harnessed seat and she just turned 12, but she has sever autism and I don't think it's a seat actually meant for her age group and they more use it just to stop her climbing off her seat.

I realise most people have common sense, but there are a few who don't. On a facebook buy/sell page local to me the other day, a lady was selling her capsule (infant bucket seat type thing) and had it FORWARD facing, with the seatbelt over the huge toddler who's legs were so long her knees were at the edge of the seat.

Emma's seat is Australian standard, so lasts 10 years, even though she will outgrow it about 5.5 years of age. I like the current AU seats as they are height rather than weight based and I have short kids!

It tends to be the European seats that only last till 6 years as far as I can tell.

whackymumof2 that website is out of date I think, he techs said something about it on the NZ facebook page a while ago.

 

[minties]

I will tell my...cousin?? (grandmas cousins granddaughter) not to bring her seat. We will sort one out for her. I was horrified at the idea! It must be so manky and worn out by now.