Car seat safety: 2nd hand car seats can harbour hidden faults
Over half a million drivers (2% of those who drive with children in the car) have bought a second-hand car seat in the last 12 months, according to research from Sainsbury's car insurance. The supermarket bank is urging parents not to buy second-hand child car seats because it is impossible to know if they are safe or whether they have been damaged in an accident.
Sainsbury's car insurance analysis of the online auction site, EBay, confirms that trading in second-hand car seats is on the rise with 453 "used" child car seats now for sale on the website compared to 131 when it conducted a similar piece of research in 2009.
The supermarket bank's research also shows that over one hundred thousand motorists have continued to use a child car seat after an accident. Sainsbury's car insurance is one of a minority of car insurance providers to cover the cost of replacing a child car seat with a new one after a collision. This feature is available on both options of car insurance cover offered by Sainsbury's Bank.
Ben Tyte, Head of Sainsbury's Car Insurance, said: "If a child car seat has already been involved in an accident, it's extremely difficult to know if it is still functioning properly and that it isn't harbouring any hidden faults. Therefore, if you can't be sure of its history, you could be strapping your child into a seat that potentially provides reduced protection.
"When many families' incomes are squeezed it is no surprise that parents will be trying to save money where they can - if you feel that you absolutely must use a second-hand car seat our advice would be to purchase or acquire a seat from somebody you know, a friend or family member who'll be able to reassure you as to the seat's history. We would not recommend purchasing a seat from an online auction site or a car boot sale."
The research also suggests that, over the last year, nearly half a million drivers (2% of those who drive children in their car) have travelled with a child in an incorrectly fitting car seat.
Sainsbury's car insurance recommends that if motorists are unsure if the car seat they are using is suitable - or if they are unsure how to fit it correctly they should seek professional guidance from the retailer they purchased it from and follow the Government's advice (direct.gov.uk).
Anyone who has a car seat that has been involved in an accident should, for the avoidance of doubt, replace it with a brand new one.
Sainsbury's car insurance offers parents the following advice when buying and installing car seats:
Children younger than 12 or under 135 centimetres tall require a safety seating
If you absolutely must use a second-hand car seat, always make sure it's from someone you know and that they can tell you its full history
Do not buy second-hand car seats from an online auction site or a car boot sale
Always buy the right car seat for your child's weight and physical development Check that the seat has an ‘E' mark which means that it has been fully checked and meets the United Nations Regulation R44.03
Replace the seat accordingly as the child grows
Before every journey, check that the seat is securely fixed
Make sure the harness is firm. You should only be able to get one or two fingers between the strap and the child's chest
Never modify a child car seat in any way
If anyone else is driving your child, make sure that they know how to fit the seat and check it is still functioning properly
Sainsbury's car insurance provides competitively priced, quality cover, with two policy options to choose from; both offering some of the widest range of cover and benefits available in the marketplace. It is also one of only a few providers to, as a standard feature of its policy, cover the cost of replacing a child car seat with one of a similar standard after an accident even when there is no perceived damage.
For more information, visit sainsburysbank.co.uk.
For more information on the laws surrounding child car seats, follow the Government's advice at: direct.gov.uk.