AAA Minnesota/Iowa and the Minnesota Safety Council Caution Parents About Second-hand Car Seats

BURNSVILLE, Minn.--April 13, 2006--Thousands of Minnesotans will soon begin thumbing through the classifieds section to find the biggest, most attractive neighborhood garage sales for a bargain. However, when it comes to buying a car seat, the savings may not be worth the risk.

Children's items are quite popular at garage sales. But older car seats may not be safe because they may not meet current federal safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

AAA Minnesota/Iowa and the Minnesota Safety Council do not recommend buying used car seats. When buying a seat from a garage sale, the history of the seat is generally unknown, labels can be missing and it usually does not come with the instruction booklet.

"After a car seat is six years old or if the history of the seat is not known, it should be destroyed to decrease the number of safety seats being used beyond the manufacturers' recommendation," said Gail Weinholzer, Director of Public Affairs, AAA Minnesota/Iowa. "As a potential buyer, you have no assurance of how old the seat is if the labels are missing, or what has happened to it."

Proper use and installation of these life saving devices is very low. Data from car seat clinics are consistently revealing that 80 percent of car seats on the road today are improperly used. In a crash, that means the car seat might not protect the child.

AAA and the Minnesota Safety Council suggest not using a second-hand car seat if:

-- It has been involved in a crash. If it has, it has done its job. Possible unseen damage may make it less effective.

-- It is missing any parts or installation instructions. You need instructions to make sure the seat is compatible with your vehicle, and appropriate for your child's weight and size.

-- It has been recalled and has not been repaired.

-- It is more than six years old. Manufacturing standards have changed and the plastic components of the shell deteriorate over time.

-- Based on inspection, it is visually or structurally damaged.

"Most second-hand stores won't accept a car seat for resale, and there's a reason for that," said Gail Weinholzer. "Before you even consider using a second-hand car seat, you need to be certain about its history."

AAA Minnesota/Iowa and the Minnesota Safety Council recommend parents read their vehicle and car seat owners' manuals carefully and follow installation instructions, taking into account their child's age and size. If parents need assistance, they can visit www.buckleupkids.state.mn.us for a statewide list of car seat inspection events and locations.

AAA offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services to more than 48 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA Minnesota/Iowa is part of The Auto Club Group, with 4.1 million members in eight Midwest states.