Child car seats after a crash

Long story short: my Jetta suffered front end damage from someone turning in front of me and I t-boned them in the pass side. They kept going, of course.

But my question is the seat in question did not have my kid in it at the time of the crash but was held in by the LATCH system and the wife says to replace it because of that system. But my gut/mechanical engineer mind says yes but not an immediate priority. Problem is cash is short, figure insurance will drag feet like normal, and of course need a new one by tomorrow.

What say y'all hive?

I'd leave it.

You are a mechanical engineer (me too). There was no occupant in the seat during the incident. I would inspect the straps and use it.

You're big issue is needing to replace it for the wife's peace of mind.

trucke wrote: You're big issue is needing to replace it for the wife's peace of mind.

That should not be under rated!

In reply to trucke:

Well wife wants it replaced like yesterday and as I said I expect insurance to drag their feet or do the normal it's only worth $X when you paid $Y and that is all they will pay.

So have you bought a new one yet? You're not going to win that fight, and you sure don't want to be proven wrong in the event of another accident.

I'd leave it. Unless the accident pulled like 50 Gs of deceleration I don't think you could have done any damage to a car seat.

You can be technically correct and absolutely wrong. This is one of those times.

Happy wife, happy life!

I would replace it.

If you insist on trying to keep it for awhile, CLOSELY inspect all straps paying particularly close attention to the webbing which was within all adjusters/etc for any stretching. If you see distortion in the webbing, you pretty much must replace it. Belting like that is only really good for one use in its energy absorption.

I reiterate, replacement is very highly recommended.

Add to that the happy wife argument, the ensuring protection of your child argument, etc...

I would bet that you can submit the receipt for a like/same child seat to insurance and it will be covered, so you should get your money back, so I wouldnt pin it on that.

Moar reading http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/childrestraints/reuse/restraintreuse.htm NHTSA says you might be fine, depending on how bad of a crash.. like I said, I would replace though for less doubts.

The belt holding you in has been subjected to far more force.

Are you going to replace it?

this is one fight you lost from the beginning... and let's face it.. do you trust that seat 100% now that it has been in an accident and you need to strap your kid in there?

How many times have one of us taken something apart and gone.. "while I am here..." It's easier to replace the seat than the kid

Here is my problem, wife always wants something specific and it's NEVER available local without having to go to the much bigger city many miles away or requires shipping in to me. Need a new one for tomorrow to attend a lunch at the other kids school for thanksgiving.

Rock/hard place, I'm there always and never leave.

In reply to tuna55:

Pretensioner is already blown, so if they don't I'm going to be hot....

It was designed to carry a 40-60lb kid in an impact, but it was unoccupied during your accident. It was subjected to exponentially less stress than if it was serving its purpose. If it was me, I'd keep using it for now and replace it as time and money permit.

Mechanically it is probably fine, but I would still replace it.

I have a 9 month old and a wife. For peace of mind, I would replace it immediately with the best seat I could afford.

I don't think your wife will ever just let it go and it will haunt her every time you drive you child anywhere. Also, if you were ever in an accident again, do you want to risk the (albeit minor) possibility that the seat is structurally damaged?

As others have said. This argument is over before it started. just get a new seat as soon as you are able.

Car seats are the easiest thing in the world to get insurance to pay for. They cut us a check for the 2 that were unoccupied when the Mazda5 was hit in about 6 hours. Took 5 months to get the money for the car...

1988RedT2 wrote: You can be technically correct and absolutely wrong. This is one of those times.

This is the correct answer. Even I know when not to fight a battle.

NordicSaab wrote: Mechanically it is probably fine, but I would still replace it. I have a 9 month old and a wife. For peace of mind, I would replace it immediately with the best seat I could afford. I don't think your wife will ever just let it go and it will haunt her every time you drive you child anywhere. Also, if you were ever in an accident again, do you want to risk the (albeit minor) possibility that the seat is structurally damaged? As others have said. This argument is over before it started. just get a new seat as soon as you are able.

Yup. I have been in the same boat. Have the new car seat to show for it.

There is no logic/rational/anything that will "win" here. She wins. Buy a new seat.

I appreciate that money and time are tight. And I am joining the chorus that says just replace it. In the overall scheme of things it is not that much money or time. The last thing you or your children need is to have an argument where your wife is doubting your commitment to their health and safety.

The wife says to replace it. Do you want to be happy or miserable with a few extra dollars in your pocket?

Here's what the government thinks:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/childrestraints/reuse/restraintreuse.htm

There was a law that went into effect around here a few years ago (not sure if it's federal or California) that insurance companies are required to cover replacing car seats that were damaged in accidents. My experience has been that State Farm (my insurance co) has been very proactive about it, I almost had to beat them off with a stick when they wanted to take the child seat out of my Audi that got hit at 5 mph while parked. :-) I suspect there are a lot of concerns about liability there.

Its for the children! Won't someone think of the children?

The seat is fine. You probably have a greater chance of getting a faulty new one than the old one being damaged.

I must agree with everyone who says to keep the wife happy, though.

You can be right, or you can be happy.

When I was in an accident recently I was asked multiple times from my insurance rep if there was a car seat in either vehicle. Pretty sure it is standard procedure to condemn them if in any accident. Just like a helmet.

I wouldn't risk it. My kid's safety is worth more than a $70-$100 car seat.

Well keeping her happy is almost impossible given I wrote checks yesterday to cover her overdrawn acct which is why I don't have the cash for another seat at this moment. This is also why she's on my ass to get insurance to pay for one by tomorrow.... I'm in a no win.