An expired car seat could be putting your child at risk

Used car seats listed on Craigslist

Did you know that it’s illegal to sell a car seat that doesn’t meet current standards set by Transport Canada? A seller could be legally liable if anything happens, yet numerous car seats that don’t measure up are being sold online on sites like eBay and Craigslist.

Imee Chow reached out to us when she spotted a 13-year-old car seat on eBay.

“I can’t believe someone would actually post this for sale on eBay,” Chow told CTV News, “I don’t think a lot of people know all the rules.”

Banned car seats include those that are expired, manufactured before 2012, or made outside the country, because they may not meet Canadian safety standards. Canadian car seat regulations are much more rigorous than other countries, including in the U.S.

But the regulations haven’t stopped the sale of illegal car seats online. CTV News found numerous examples of expired car seats for sale: some weren’t manufactured in Canada, another was being sold from Texas.

Both Transport Canada and Health Canada even discourage buying new car seats outside Canada. They may not meet Canadian safety standards, and if a recall notice is issued on a foreign bought car seat the parent or caregiver may not be informed of the recall or have legal recourse with the manufacturer.

Shawn Pettipas, from BCAA, says most people don’t know the plastic on car seats breaks down, making some older car seats no longer compliant with safety regulations. It’s even against the law to donate them.

Transport Canada says frequent use or sunlight could weaken the plastic. Food, cleaners, drinks and other materials spilled on the car seat could also prevent it from working safely.

"You don't know the history of the car seat. You don't know what it's been through," added Pettipas.

Pettipas suggests looking for the National Safety Mark found on all Canadian made car seats. Newer car seats will have an expiry date on the label, which is embedded into the plastic on older seats.

"It's not worth the risk to save a buck. The child's safety is what's most important here, " Pettipas told CTV News.

Some consumers told CTV News they think the expiry date is just a ploy by the manufacturer’s to get you to buy more seats, but Transport Canada and BCAA says that’s not the case.

Find Transport Canada cross border car seat regulations here.

Find Health Canada information about car seats here.

Find BC car seat clinics here.

ICBC guidlines about replacing car seats in an accident.