I don't have any kids, but I do care about children's safety in cars. I do think the laws are a good idea, even though I realize many people just won't follow them. I did survive my childhood improperly restrained, but that was because we were never in a collision. Had we been, I doubt I would be here today. So, if the laws make even one person go out and buy their child a car seat, and if the laws help protect one child, I think it's worth it.
Used seats aren't a good idea for various reasons. If you're going to get a used seat, you need to make sure it's from someone you trust, and not just from any random person. You need to know that it was never in a collision, and for seats with harnesses, you need to know that the owner of the seat didn't put the harness through the washing machine, use chemicals to clean it, etc., which can be hard to verify if you get it from a stranger. Carseats also expire, so you need to check that a used seat is not yet expired.
All quotes from http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html
"If you are unable to verify that the carseat has never been involved in
a crash, do not use it. Above that, you should inspect it carefully
to make sure all the parts and labels are intact, and that there are no
visible stress marks. You should also verify that the stickers with
the manufacturer, model number and date of manufacture are legible.
You must also have the owner's manual, or get a copy from the
manufacturer. Finally, you need to make sure the used carseat has
not been recalled (or if it has, that the appropriate corrections were
made). Older seats may not meet current safety standards.
Older seats may also be less convenient and more difficult to use,
and may lack the latest safety features. If there is any doubt on
the condition or history of a used carseat, please destroy it
completely and permanently (using a saw or otherwise) and purchase
a new one."
"Q25: How many years can I use my carseat?
Many manufacturers now put "expiration" dates on their carseats.
Six (6) years is the general recommendation. At most, 10 years is
the accepted maximum lifetime of a carseat. The reasons for these
limits involve possible degradation of the plastic shell and other parts,
the possible loss/breakage of parts, and the fact that older seats will
often not meet current government safety standards."
Just a note, the expiration date is from the date of manufacture, not from the date you purchased it, or put it in use.
As for when your child is big enough to not need a booster, it is not really an exact weight that makes a difference, but the way the child fits the seatbelt that is more important. Some people have longer legs, or have longer torsos, so two children of the same exact height may fit the belt differently, and one may need a booster while the other does not.
This is how to tell when the child fits the seatbelt, and no longer needs a booster
"Q9: When can my child be in a regular
seatbelt without a booster?
Children are not ready to be in a regular lap/shoulder seatbelt until:
- They are tall enough so that their legs bend at the knees at the edge
of the seat; and
- They are mature enough to remain seated with their backs flat against
the back of the seat and not slouch; and
- The lap belt sits high on the thighs or low on the hips (NOT on their
tummy!); and
- The shoulder belt crosses the shoulder and chest (NOT on their
arms or neck!); and
Each passenger must have their own lap and shoulder belt! Never
allow children to share a seatbelt.
Some organizations will also give limits like 80 or 100 pounds, 4'9" in
height or 8 years old. These are rough guidelines, not absolute
limits. The criteria above are most important."
Also, the person with the seat that says it last to 100 pounds, I am highly doubtful, unless you just bought the new Graco Nautilus or Britax Frontier. If the seat you have is a 3 in 1 (like an Alpha Omega), that isn't going to happen. First, the harness slots on the seat are exceedingly low. The child has outgrown the harness forward facing when the shoulders are over the highest harness slot (except for in the Sunshine Kids Radian, which allows for the shoulders to go 1" over the top harness slot) . If this is the seat you have, please check that the top slot is reinforced for harness used, as several of these seats do not allow use with the harness, and the top slot is only to adjust the headrest for older children. Because of the low slots, many children don't last long using these as harnessed seats. They also typically make poor boosters. If you're aware of this, there's nothing really wrong with these seats, however, it is a bit deceiving of the company to advertise it as the only seat your kid will ever need, considering also that if you buy it for an infant, it will expire before the kid is ready to sit in a seatbelt. The person who got the seat for $100, if what you got was the Safety 1st Intera, or the Cosco model of the seat, it may last. If what you got is a 3 in 1, since that is definitely not the Nautilus or the Frontier, it's not really going to last that long. Mrstjohnson, if the seat you got is a convertible that rear faces, which I will assume it is since you got it at your baby shower, it absolutely will not last till your child is ready for a booster, since it will expire 6 years from the date of manufacture.
As for the boosters, if the car being used has head restraints, or the child riding in it is short enough that their head does not go over the seat back, a low back booster (Cosco Ambassador) can be had at Wal-Mart on sale this week for $13.57 If you need a back, the Cosco Traveler is only $19.88, and the Pronto is $29.88.