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Children’s car seats and booster cushions:
How long are they safe? |
TP14563
Consumer Information Notice
Child Restraint Systems
2007-C10 E |
All children’s car seats and booster cushions now sold in Canada have an
expiry or useful life date on them. Manufacturers do this to warn buyers not to
use them too long. People using children’s car seats and booster cushions past
their expiry or useful life date, do so at their own risk.
Manufacturers give an expiry or useful life date because over time:
- frequent use and exposure to sunlight can damage plastic;
- labels on the products fade or become hard to read;
- safety instructions have likely been lost;
- food, cleaners, drinks and other materials that have been spilled or
used on webbing, buckles, adjusters and other parts may prevent them from
working safely;
- the history or condition of the car seat or booster cushion becomes hard
to check (was it in an accident, was it stored in a place or in a way that
caused damage to parts, etc.?);
- safety regulations and standards may have changed, so safer products may
now be on the market; and
- second or third hand owners may not get product recall notices if safety
problems arise.
In Canada, all provinces and territories require infants and toddlers to be
buckled up in the appropriate car seat. Several provinces also require booster
cushions for children who have outgrown a child car seat but are too small for a
regular seat belt. The provincial and territorial laws also say that the
children's car seats and booster cushions must be certified to Canada Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards and must be used according to the manufacturer's
instructions. If you don't, or if you use them past their expiry or useful life
dates - you may be found guilty of breaking the law.
Listed below, in alphabetical order, are the manufacturers who sell car seats
and/or booster cushions in Canada, the brand name and the useful life period of
their products. Depending on the make or model, they can be used safely for five
to eight years. Transport Canada strongly advises parents and caregivers to
follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions and respect the expiry or useful
life dates.
Manufacturer |
Brand Name(s) |
Product Type1 |
Useful
Life
Length |
Britax Child Safety, Inc. |
Britax |
I/C, B |
6 years |
Combi USA, Inc. |
Combi |
I, B |
7 years |
Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. |
Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st |
I, I/C, C/B, B |
6 years |
|
|
I/C/B |
8 years |
Evenflo Company Inc. |
Evenflo |
I, I/C, C/B, B |
6 years |
Graco Children’s Products |
Graco, Century |
I, I/C, C/B, B2 |
6 years |
Learning Curve Brands, Inc. |
Compass, The First Years |
B |
7 years |
Magna Aftermarket Inc. |
Clek |
B |
7 years |
Peg Perego S.p.A. |
Peg-Pérego |
I |
5 years |
Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products, LLC |
Sunshine Kids |
I/C |
8 years |
Note 1: I = Infant; I/C = Infant and Child; B =
Booster; C/B = Child and Booster; I/C/B = Infant, Child and Booster
Note 2: Starting in 2008 for booster cushions |
Transport Canada: |
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1-800-333-0371 |
Release Date: |
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December 14, 2007 |
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