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You are here: Home / Archives for Car Seat Safety

What to do with a used, expired or damaged car seat

February 3, 2014 by Wendy S

Expired Car seat

*** Please note that is article focuses on CANADIAN car seats ***

As children grow, they will outgrow a car seat and move up to the next phase.  When you’re done using that seat, many parents don’t know what to do with them.  A lot of parents will want to sell them because they made a big investment and want some money back, or they think that their seat has enough life in it for another family.  This is not always the case.

There are a few things to consider:

  • Is your seat expired? 
  • Has it been in a collision?
  • Does it meet the January 2012 regulations?

expired car seatIs my seat expired?

If your car seat is expired, then you should have stopped using it for your own child.  Seats are only good for a certain period of time.  

This is due to:

  • the stress of being installed
  • the stress used with a child
  • the stress that changes in temperature affect the plastic

To find out if your seat is expired, please read this post — car seats expire…and other safety tips

Please read below for how to dispose of an un-safe seat.


Was your car seat in a collision?

Three-way head-on car collisionIf your seat has been in a collision, it must be disposed of immediately.  Even a “minor fender bender” has potential to damage the seat.

I hear a lot of parents say, “but it wasn’t a big collision, the seat is fine.”  My question is always, “How do you know?”  There is no way to know the extent of the stress that a collision (big or small) puts on a car seat.  Manufacturers know this which it is why they print it in all car seat owners manuals to replace a seat after a collision.

Why would want to take a chance, and guess that the seat is fine?  It would be very unfortunately to get in a second collision only to find out that the seat was not fine, and your child is injured or worse.

Please read below for how to dispose of an un-safe seat.


SafetyMarkDoes your seat meet the January 2012 regulations?

On January 1, 2012, Transport Canada changed some of the regulations affecting child car seats.  The regulations didn’t change the laws, just some of the rules that manufacturers have to follow when designing car seats. (read Transport Canada’s site)

If you have a seat made prior to January 2012, you can keep using it until your child outgrows it.  You do not have to go out an replace your seats but that seat cannot change ownership.

You will not be able to sell a used car seat that does not meet the January 2012 regulations.  

All seats that are sold, in a store or resale by a car seat owner, must meet these new regulations.  

To find out if your seat meets these regulations

  • you have to call the manufacturer of your seat and ask them. 
  • check this “quick reference guide” (a call to manufacturer might give you more piece of mind)

If your seat does not meet the regulations you CANNOT sell it or give it away.  It is ILLEGAL!

Please read below for how to dispose of an un-safe seat.


Proper disposal of a un-safe car seat:

If your seat is expired, has been in a collision, or was made before January 2012 and does not meet the Jan 2012 regulations:

  • cut the harness straps and fabric, making it undesirable for someone else to take
  • put it in a garbage bag, if possible
  • throw it out on garbage day or take it to your local waste facility

If your seat does meet the regulations or is made after January 2012 and is not expired or damaged: you are free to do with it as you choose.

Please keep in mind  that Health Canada has rules around what can be sold.  Please read their “Facts for Garage Sale Vendors” for more info.

Car seats must have a National Safety Mark and meet current regulatory requirements. Remember that it is illegal to sell car seats that do not meet the current regulatory requirements. You should always check with the manufacturer before selling a car seat. Car seats must come with warnings, guidelines for use, installation instructions, and date of manufacture. Do not sell a car seat that is past the lifespan recommended by the manufacturer or that has been in a vehicle during a collision. Before selling a used car seat, check with  Transport Canada(1-800-333-0371 or www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety) for more information and to find out if the car seat has been recalled. Also, be sure that it is in good condition with no missing parts and with functioning anchoring systems.

 


Questions?

Please leave a comment below as other parents may have the same questions!

 


Please note: I am a certified Child Restraint Technician in Ontario, Canada. Please check your local laws about car seats and always read your vehicle owner’s manual and car seat manual before installing your child seats.

This data will be updated as required.

Filed Under: Car Seat Safety Tagged With: car seat safety, used car seat

The car seat laws in the US are changing in 2014. What does this mean for Canadians?

December 29, 2013 by Wendy S

New car seat laws in UAS

babble put out a great post with an amazing graphic about the new Car Seat Law that comes into effect in 2014 in the United States.

The new law states that the maximum weight of the LATCH anchors in a vehicle is 65lbs.  This means:

If the weight of your child combined with the weight of the car seat is over 65lbs, you have to install the car seat with the seat belt.

What does this mean for Canadians??

Nothing. Our laws are not changing.

From Transport Canada’s website:

Important: If your child weighs over 18 kg (40 lbs), please ask your vehicle manufacturer if your vehicle can support a heavier child with the UAS and tether, or the seat belt and tether.”

 Vehicle Manufacturers

To find the customer service number of your vehicle’s manufacture, please read your owners manual.

Will the Canadian car seat laws change?

Maybe. Transport Canada has made this statement about the NHTSA Final Rule.

When should you stop using UAS?

Car seat technicians will teach you to stop using UAS at a child’s weight of 40 pounds without taking into consideration the weight of the car seat. Until the federal government makes official changes to the Regulations, we have to follow the instructions from the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer. If neither of them specifically state a combined weight, then it would be wise to stick to the 40 pound limit for UAS.

 Questions?

I know there will be a lot of questions, please comment below, and I’ll be happy to answer them!!

Filed Under: Car Seat Safety

A winter coat is for playing in the snow, not in a #carseat !

October 23, 2013 by Wendy S

 

The weather in Ontario, is starting to get colder. Colder weather means warmer clothes, and soon we’ll be in winter coats.

Wearing a winter coat in a car seat is dangerous.

I took photos of Lauren in her car seat to prove my point. I tell parents to do this test so that they can see how dangerous it is to wear a winter coat in a car seat. (Lauren is squinting due to the sun.)

With your child in their winter coat, put them in the car seat and tighten it as tight as you can.

Here is Lauren in her car seat in her winter coat. I pulled the harness as tight as I could get it.

It passes the “Only 1 finger” test. It has to be tight enough, right?

UPDATE:  It’s best practice to use the “Pinch Test” to check to see if the harness is tight enough.

Pinch Test

(From: Britax)

 

Take the child’s coat off but don’t touch the harness

When Lauren takes her coat off, you can see how loose the harness truly is.

In a collision, the force will compress the bulky coat and then the harness will be this loose. As if the coat isn’t there.

Lauren shows how far she can pull the harness out and how far she can lean forward. This is very dangerous in a collision. The harness is to hold the child firmly in the seat to reduce movement during a collision.

In just her sweater, we pull the harness tight. This is safe.

Watch this segment from the Today Show(aired December 14, 2015):

(aired December 14, 2015):

 

“But my child will be cold going from the house to the car in just a sweater!”

This is the comment I hear most from parents. If you get a 3-in-1 coat that has an inner jacket and an outer shell, you can remove the outer shell before harnessing your child in the car seat.

For a child in an infant seat, you can harness them in the seat and then place a warm blanket over the top before taking them out to the car.

I hope these photos help you understand why a child should NEVER wear a bulky winter coat in their car seat.

How to keep them warm?

Here are some great suggestions from the Car Seat Lady on how to keep your child warm: http://thecarseatlady.com/warmandsafe/

swaddlingintheseat

 

Not all children will be this lucky:

Here is a story of an infant, in a snowsuit, who miraculously survived being throw from their car seat during a collision. They were ejected from the car seat because the harness was too loose.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/149235/the_important_winter_car_seat

Please comment below if you have any questions.

I am here to help your child be safe while in a vehicle.


Filed Under: Car Seat Safety Tagged With: car seat, photo, safety, winter

Eight is not Enough: The 5 Step Test in Action #carseat #ncssw

May 16, 2013 by Wendy S

Rachel is 8 years old.

By law, in Ontario, she is old enough to ride without a booster.

Ontario Law states that a person can ride without a booster seat when they are:

over 8 years old
OR
over 4’9″ tall
OR
weighs more than 80lbs

 

The Law is just a minimum!

A booster seat is required to make the vehicle’s seat belt fit properly.
Why should there be any law stating when you should stop using it?

A child needs a booster until you can answer “YES” to the 5 Step Test questions below…

  1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
  2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
  3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
  4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
  5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

When we tested 8-year-old Rachel, the answer was NO to all 5 questions…. 

You can see in the photos that without a booster, Rachel does not fit in the seat belt.

  1. She CANNOT sit all the way back against the auto seat.
  2. Her knees DO NOT bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat.
  3. The belt DOES NOT cross the shoulder between the neck and arm.
  4. The lap belt is TOO HIGH. It sits across her stomach.
  5. There is NO WAY that she would stay seated like this for the whole trip.

When doing the test, Rachel even commented herself how uncomfortable the seat belt was across her neck.

Educating Rachel about the safety of the seat belt and using is properly is very important.  She will get questioned by her peers and now she has the confidence to say why she uses the booster!

The AAP is recommending that parents keep their children in a booster until they have hit 4’9″ tall and meet the 5-step criteria.  “[A] booster will make sure the vehicle’s lap-and-shoulder belt fit properly. The shoulder belt should lie across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not near the neck or face. The lap belt should fit low and snug on the hips and upper thighs, not across the belly. Most children will need a booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years old.” AAP – 3/12/2010

If you have any questions, please comment below!!


Please note: I am a certified Child Restraint Technician in Ontario, Canada. Please check your local laws about car seats and always read your vehicle owner’s manual and car seat manual before installing your child seats.

This data will be updated as required.


Filed Under: Car Seat Safety

National Car Seat Safety Week and a treat from @SnuggleBugz #ncssw #carseats

May 13, 2013 by Wendy S

I’m so excited!! Snuggle Bugz asked to me write a post for Car Seat Safety week!

Here’s a snippit….

Car Seats and Vehicle Compatibility

“One of the most difficult things for parents to understand is that not every child car seat will fit in every car.

As a car seat technician, I will do my best to get the child seat installed into the vehicle, but there are many factors that can make this difficult.”

Read more…


I love the relationship with Snuggle Bugz because they care about child passenger safety as much as I do!  They have recently trained all their staff as car seat technicians so all of their customers can have peace of mind and know they are in good hands.

This week Snuggle Bugz is having some fun events!

They are having Car Seat Clinics, a Facebook party and a Twitter Party!

See all the details here — National Car Seat Safety Week @ Snuggle Bugz

 
 
A little something for you!
 
Snuggle Bugz amd I want your child to be safe while riding the the car.  The roller shades with the metal bar and suction cups can come loose and harm your child.  The cling shades are much safer!  You can win a pair for you vehicle!!

 
 
Contest is open to Canadians 18+ and will end Monday, May 20th at 11:59pm EST.
Entry-Form
 
 

Please get your child’s car seats checked!
Don’t assume that they are installed or used correctly….80% of them aren’t!
Is yours one of them??

Filed Under: Car Seat Safety, giveaway closed, Oakville, snugglebugz

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Follow MapsGirl On…

mapsgirl@gmail.com

Why “mapsgirl” ?

Wendy is a cartographer! She draws maps!

When not mapping, Wendy is also a mom to two daughters. They are the inspiration of this blog. Passionate about child passenger safety, Wendy was a certified Car Seat Technician in Ontario, Canada from 2008 to 2020. [Read More …]

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