Guides · Car seats · Second-hand
How do I ask if a used child car seat has been in a crash?
Why is a yes/no on “has it been in an accident?” not enough?
Sellers hear “accident” as a written-off car on the motorway. RoSPA’s wording is wider: a seat that was in a car involved in a collision. The insurer letter RoSPA publishes says hidden weakening can remain when there is no visible damage, and that the only reliable laboratory check would destroy the seat.
A Marketplace “no accidents” line does not tell you whether anyone counted:
- A parking-speed bump that still crumpled a bumper or boot.
- A seat that was empty in a car that was hit.
- Time spent in a different car that later had a claim.
- A drop from a door sill, kerb or stairs — not a road crash, still a load on the shell.
Official records show RoSPA, the NHS and the Lullaby Trust all treat unknown crash history as the reason they advise against a second-hand seat from someone you do not know. Not found on a listing ≠ a known history.
What do RoSPA, the NHS and the Lullaby Trust actually say?
Keep this page on history questions. Marks, dates and recalls belong on their own guides.
- RoSPA — second-hand child seats: you cannot be certain of its history; it may have been in a crash and the damage may not be visible. Best advice is not to buy second-hand. If you must, only from family or a friend whose history you are certain of.
- RoSPA FAQ / insurer letter: replace a seat that was in a car in a collision, even with no visible damage. They list a possible exception only for a very low-speed impact, little or no car damage, and no child in the seat — and still say if there is any doubt, replace it.
- NHS — choosing a baby car seat: do not buy a second-hand car seat; it could have been damaged in an accident. Only accept one from friends or family if you know its history, it is not too old and it comes with instructions.
- Lullaby Trust — second-hand baby products: they advise you not to use a second-hand car seat because it is not always obvious if it has been in an accident and damage might not be visible. They add that even a known family seat still ages.
What exact questions do I ask before I accept the seat?
- Ask who owned it, in which cars “Which cars has this seat been fitted in, from new to now?” A seat that moved between households has more than one crash story to check. Write the registrations or make/model years they give you.
- Ask about every collision, not “accidents” “Has any car this seat was in been in a collision, a parking bump, a hit-and-run in a car park, or a claim — even if nobody was hurt?” If they say no, ask how they know about cars they did not drive.
- Ask whether the seat was occupied “Was a child sitting in it at the time?” RoSPA’s possible exception names an empty seat as one of three conditions, not as a free pass on its own.
- Ask about other damage events “Has it been dropped, fallen off a pram chassis, left in a boot after a bump, or had the shell, harness or buckle replaced?” A no on “crash” can still hide a drop.
- Ask them to put the answers in a message A written yes/no you can keep is still not a laboratory test. It is better than a verbal “it’s fine” that cannot be checked later. RoSPA’s insurer letter exists for owners replacing their own seat after a crash; it is not a certificate a stranger can show you.
Parking bump, empty seat, other car, dropped — how do I follow up?
Swipe sideways for the full table
| They said | Ask next | Why the official pages care |
|---|---|---|
| “No accidents” | “Any parking-speed bump, scraped bumper or car-park knock while the seat was in the car?” | RoSPA’s letter: it is very difficult to judge how severe an impact needs to be |
| “It was not even in the car” | “Which months was it stored, and in which other cars was it used?” | History is per car the seat travelled in, not per the car you are standing next to |
| “The seat was empty” | “Was there damage to that car? How fast? Will you show the repair photos?” | RoSPA lists empty + very low speed + little car damage together — not empty alone |
| “Only a little bump” | “Did an insurer look at the car? Was the seat left in the boot afterwards?” | Hidden damage is the reason all three bodies give for not trusting a look |
| “We dropped it once” | “From what height, onto what surface, and did the shell or harness change?” | NHS / Lullaby Trust: you cannot always tell damage by looking |
| “Sold on from someone else” | “Can that person answer the same list in writing?” | RoSPA: you cannot be certain of history from a shop, ad or stranger |
What if they cannot answer, or they say yes?
If the seller cannot name the cars, will not talk about parking knocks, or bought the seat themselves from a stranger, you do not have the “certain history” RoSPA and the NHS describe. Official advice in that situation is not to take the seat.
If they say yes to a collision, RoSPA’s default line is to replace the seat even when it looks unmarked. Their letter to insurers exists so an owner can ask their own insurer to treat replacement as part of the claim. That letter is not a promise that a private seller, or you as a buyer, will recover the cost.
A family seat with a clear, written “no” on every follow-up is the only second-hand path those pages still discuss. It is still not a laboratory all-clear. The Lullaby Trust notes that wear continues even when the history is known.
In shortAsk about every car, every knock, whether the seat was occupied, and any drop — then get it in writing. RoSPA, the NHS and the Lullaby Trust all say you cannot be sure from a look. A Marketplace yes/no is not the history those pages describe. This page does not call a used seat safe or not safe.
Questions parents ask
- The seller says “no accidents”. Is that enough?
- No. Ask about parking bumps, other cars the seat lived in, whether it was occupied, and any drop. RoSPA’s collision wording is wider than “accident”, and all three official pages say damage may not be visible.
- They say it was empty during a tiny parking knock. What then?
- RoSPA’s letter lists a possible exception only when three things sit together: very low speed, little or no external car damage, and no child in the seat. They still say it is hard to judge, and if there is any doubt, replace the seat. Ask for repair photos and a written account. This is not a pass mark.
- Should I ask for insurance paperwork?
- You can ask whether any car the seat was in had a claim, and whether photos exist. RoSPA’s insurer letter is written for an owner replacing their own seat after a crash. It does not turn a stranger’s listing into a known history, and this page does not say a buyer will recover money.
- They will not put the answers in a message. What do the official pages say?
- RoSPA’s second-hand page is not to buy from a shop, classified ad or stranger because you cannot be certain of history. A refusal to write the cars and knocks down is an incomplete history, not a yes/no you can treat as certain.
Sources
Official pages first. If this page and the official page disagree, the official page wins.
- RoSPA Child Car Seats — Second-hand child seats — checked 10 September 2026
- RoSPA — Letter for insurers (replacing seats after a collision) — checked 10 September 2026
- RoSPA Child Car Seats — FAQs (replace after a crash) — checked 10 September 2026
- NHS — Choosing a baby car seat — checked 10 September 2026
- The Lullaby Trust — Second-hand baby products — checked 10 September 2026
This is information, not a guarantee of any payment, and not medical, legal or product-safety advice for your home. Prices and rules change; figures carry the date they were checked. Recall status comes from official records only — a product we cannot find is not a safety all-clear. Tell us if we got a fact wrong.