As most parents know some car seats can cost a pretty penny. In these tough economic times many parents are looking outside the store aisles to find a better deal on the necessary item.

Brenda Hernandez is a car seat safety technician with the Collier County Children’s Advocacy Center. She says, “I have seen a lot of families and the seats are a lot of times; they are hand me down. They are passed on from family to family or friends or garage sales.”

While you may save a few dollars by buying a used car seat there is a danger in using a seat that’s history is unknown. “It’s better to know where your car seat came from. They’re not usable if it’s been in a crash and most people don’t know that,” Brenda says. It’s also extremely important to have all of the installation instructions and manuals included with the car seat. Without that information you may not know that a vital part of the seat is missing.

If you can’t afford to buy a new car seat The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and the Child Advocacy Centers of Lee and Collier Counties may be able to provide you with one for free or at a discounted price.

“We always have people here at the Child Advocacy Centers who are here Monday through Friday who can do car seat installations,” Brenda says. If you are using a used car seat it’s important to get it properly inspected and installed to ensure your child’s safety.

For more information on how to do that you can call (239)-565-8371. It’s a general rule and law in many states that children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear car seat.