The dangers of second hand child seats
A big concern we have here at Good Egg Safety is the number of seats we see being sold secondhand – be it in a charity shop, car boot sale, online or in the local paper.
As part of our ongoing research, our expert has found four secondhand car seats. Throughout November we’ll be running a blog series looking at the dangers these seats pose and the potential risks to children's safety.
If you are a parent or carer and are thinking of buying secondhand, we hope our findings will inspire you to reconsider and choose new!
Would you let a stranger look after your baby?
Stranger Danger
Imagine if a stranger walked up to you and offered to look after your baby for a few hours. You've never met them before and have no idea who they are. What would you say? Your answer of course would be a resounding 'No!' However well-meaning the stranger may be, you have no guarantee that they would take care of your child. You simply wouldn’t risk it because you have no way of trusting them.
So it is when you buy a secondhand car seat from a stranger. You only have their word for it that the seat they are selling you will protect your child. You have no way of knowing whether it has been involved in a crash, or even whether it is the right size and type for your child and make of car. Even without realising it, they could be selling you a dangerous – or potentially lethal – seat.
You wouldn’t allow someone you did not know to look after your child without knowing they were thoroughly vetted and qualified. It’s no different when choosing a child car seat. Buying a used seat from online auction sites may seem like a bargain, but it simply isn’t worth taking the risk.
What are the risks?
Stay tuned for the first case study blog which will be released on Monday 17th November!