Car seat safety

[lah]

Hi, I'm completely new to Mumsnet and this is my first contribution to 'talk' and I need some advice. I'm due to have my first baby in May 2002 and I'm in the 'car seat dilemma' stage. I have been given a birth to 9mth car seat from a friend (Silvercross) which looks in perfectly good condition. However, I have read that you should never use a second-hand car seat. Is this right? It just seems such a waste to buy a new one if this one is fine. Does anyone know if there is somewhere you can take a car seat to be checked for safety? Thanks and look forward to hearing from someone.

[Marina]

lah, you have to trust your friend that it has never been in a car that was involved in an accident, however slight. I think this is because even a small shunt can crack or place strain on the framework of the seat. If it's a good friend, and you are happy about this, then use the seat. Both our birth - 9 month seats were good makes passed on from close friends and it saved us a bit of cash. But I think the recommendation is that you should never BUY a second-hand car seat, and I don't think you will find anywhere willing to check one out for you.
Incidentally, if you are unlucky to have even the slightest bump in a car with an infant seat fitted, your insurance should pay the full replacement cost of the seat and you should chuck it away, for the same reason as above.
Also, get your friend to show you exactly how to fit the seat in your car, as I think to be honest more problems arise from incorrectly fitted seats than any other safety factor.
If you go the "new seat" route after all, check that where you buy it is a registered fitter, and they will be happy to show you what to do.
Hope you are keeping well and looking forward to May!

[jasper]

lah I was given a baby car seat from a friend and as she is a good friend and a sensible person I knew she would never pass on anything that had been in a crash or was unsafe so I gratefully accepted it.
I was given almost everything second hand ( cot, pram,tons of clothes) as a lot of my friends were finished having kids and I was delighted.
I think Marina is right about it being a different matter to BUY a carseat from an unknown source.

[SueW]

Re getting friend to show how to fit the seat - I would rather get a set of instructions.

I hired a car seat in the US which came unfitted. The hire company refused to fit it but I stopped a woman in the car park who had a child in a seat and she showed me what to do - her seat was similar but her child was older and forward facing whereas mine was younger and still needed to face backwards. The problem was she had obviously forgotten how to fit rearward-facing - and I drove for 2.5 hours with my child in an incorrectly fitted car seat. It was only the following day when I woke up and went out to the car again that I realised she had done it wrongly.

[JacquiKD]

One thing I wouldn't recommend buying is one of the deluxe rock a tot car seats that carry babies up to 15 months. I actually bought one for my third child in the sale at Toys R Us because it was actually cheaper than the normal rock a tot (seat, head hugger, cosy toes, rain cover, hood - all for less than £50). She is only 3 months old and weighs 13 lbs and isn't too heavy to carry at the moment, but I cannot imagine carrying a 15 month old child in one of these seats considering that a 15 month old child weighs, also how a 15 month old is expected to "fit" into one of these chairs I have no idea.

Luckily, I still have my Britax Freeway which is for babies from 6 months to 4 years so as soon as I feel her back is strong enough (not before 6 months) she will be transferred to this car seat.

[MBB]

Marina, you mentioned a 'registered fitter'. I'm planning to get a M&P 3 in 1 from John Lewis, do you mean they actually come out into the carpark and fit it for me? Or do they just check that the car seat is meant to fit your type of car? I'll have a Fiesta by then (although don't actually have it yet) and will be getting a M&P Primo something-or-other car seat, can't remember the exact name

[Marina]

Oh, I'm not sure, MBB, but with John Lewis it is worth asking which brands they are registered fitters for. I didn't buy a car seat there but they have always been incredibly helpful with other nursery purchases, so I would not be surprised if they did just that for you. We bought a Britax Renaissance seat (next group up) from a registered fitter and they came out into the road with us to check it was properly fitted. HTH.

[Crunchie]

Just a quick tip for all out there, when you are deciding on a car seat/pram combination the FRST thing to do is check it fits the car. Do not choose anything until you have seen it being fitted into the car. There are registered fitters not just in John Lewis, but also in other retailers, in particular the independant ones seem to offer this service.

80% of car seats are incorrectly fitted into cars, and plenty of these are deadly! Therefore check the seat fits before you even compemplate buying the whole lot!

Britax always win the prizes for safety, however I had a Graco, and I have a mixture of Britax and Mothercare. I hate the mothercare one and wouldn't recommend it as it is impossible to fit correctly. The Britax seem to be the easiest to fit, particularly for the stage 2 seats, they have easier tightening things!

[mollipops]

lah, you don't say hold old the carseat is or how many babies have used it...if it is in good condition (no frays or small tears on the straps, the buckle works well, it is sturdy and solid) and your friend says it hasn't been in an accident then it is probably fine to use but only you can really decide. I'm sure there are places you can get them checked and/or fitted...I don't think I would use a second-hand one if I didn't know the history of it...it's a difficult call to make as so much is literally riding on it! Good luck!

[Marina]

I think the answer is yes Bron, although I am sure the actual risk of the seat being damaged is low. Ring the manufacturer and your insurer to check. Hope dh was OK.

[lah]

Hi everyone

First chance I've had to get back to Mumsnet and want to thank everyone for their comments on car seat safety. It has been really useful in helping me make my mind up as to whether or not to buy a new car seat.

Thanks again