You know not to use milk, meat and salads past their prime, but what about your children’s car seats? Retailers like Target periodically offer opportunities to trade in car seats to upgrade to a newer version or stock up on other supplies if you no longer need one.

Events like these are encouraged because car seats typically last between six and 10 years before they are considered “expired” due to wear and tear, updated safety regulations and recalls. Expiration dates also factor into national data showing that three out of four car seats are used incorrectly.

Teri Van Lieshout from Door County Public Health says keeping car seats up to date is important to ensure your child is as safe as possible.

You can typically find a car seat’s expiration date in the manual and on the device’s label or plastic mold. You can contact Door County Public Health if you have questions about your car seat, including whether it is installed correctly.