Green Daily

It sounds like a great idea to reuse anything that we can. However, that may not apply to a baby or child's car seat.

Car seats have expiration dates. Even if the car seat stays within the same family, you may not want to reuse it for all of your children. Most experts agree that a car seat should be discarded if it is more than 10 years old, even if it looks fine, and most manufacturers suggest replacing a seat in 5 to 8 years due to design and safety improvements. There may be an expiration date stamped on the seat or a date of manufacture to help you make this decision.

If a seat has ever been in an accident, then it is best to discard it, even if you can't see anything visibly wrong with it.

If you do dispose of a car seat, remove all of the straps and padding and clearly mark, "Trash, not for reuse." Dispose of the straps and padding in a different bag than the seat to discourage someone from taking it from your curb and reusing it.

It is also best not to donate even a good, "young" car seat to a charity or thrift shop, and most won't accept them. If you do want to reuse it, make sure you give it or or receive it from a good friend or family member that you trust, that you confirm that the seat hasn't been in an accident and that the original owner's manual is transferred. Also, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website to confirm that the seat does not have a recall.

[From the Montgomery County Maryland government site]