Like most Arizona residents, you drive safely to avoid automobile accidents. If you regularly transport children, though, you must exercise additional care to keep kids safe on the road. For small ones, you must also use a quality booster or car seat.
You may never need to replace your child’s car seat. That is, many manufacturers design their seats to last for years without any problems. Some seats also convert, allowing you to use one seat until your child is big enough to safely rely on your car’s seatbelts. Sometimes, however, you must swap out an old seat for a new one. Here are four instances when you should probably replace your child’s booster or car seat:
1. Your child has outgrown the seat
To earn a safety rating, a car seat must pass a variety of tests. Those tests, however, assume children fall within a specific size range. To know whether your child has outgrown a car seat, you must familiarize yourself with this range. Check the user’s manual to be certain your child’s height and weight align with the seat’s parameters. If not, it is time to go shopping for a new seat.
2. The seat’s manufacturer has issued a safety recall
Manufacturers recall products all the time. With some safety recalls, you do not do much harm by waiting or failing to respond. Car seats, however, are different. Because your child’s safety is on the line, you should replace the car seat if its manufacturer issues a safety recall.
3. You have been in an automobile accident
Automobile accidents often exert tremendous pressure on anything inside your vehicle. Following a wreck, your child’s car seat may develop tiny cracks that make it less safe or altogether ineffective. Therefore, if you are in a moderate or severe collision, you should replace your child’s car seat immediately. After a minor accident, though, the car seat may be fine.
4. You have noticed mold growth
You should not only think about the hard components of your child’s car seat. On the contrary, you must regularly inspect padding and fabric for signs of mold growth. If you notice any, you may need to replace the car seat to protect your child’s overall health.
Car seats can be expensive, but you cannot put a price tag on the wellbeing of your son or daughter. To best protect your child, pay attention to his or her car seat. Also, trust your parental intuition. If you think it is time to order a new car seat, you are probably correct.
