Is your car seat still safe to use? According to Health Canada, Evenflo Company, Inc. states that their car seats have an expiry date. The general expiry date is December of the sixth year from the date of manufacture.
However, some car seats manufactured in 2006 have an incorrect expiry date of December 2011. This should actually be December 2012.
In 1997, Evenflo and other manufacturers of children’s restraint systems decided on a recommended six-year product life. This was to prevent the resale of car seats with unknown histories or missing parts.
It’s important to note that Transport Canada does not regulate expiry dates for these systems. However, they advise the public not to use a car seat past its expiry date. In Canada, law enforcement agencies may ticket or charge individuals who use expired systems, and insurance companies may have issues processing claims for accidents involving expired car seats.
SOURCE:HEALTHCANADA
I just got a free car seat at a garage sale, not having any idea about carseat expiry dates. Sure enough, this one expires in three months, but our babe’s not due for six months. Oh well, at least it was free. We have decided to keep it for use around the house and maybe in conjunction with a stroller etc. Then, we will cut the straps and hand it over to a carseat recycler.