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Road safety: children and seat belts

July 15, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Statistics show that a leading cause of children’s deaths in Canada is automobile collision.  Making sure that children are properly secured in their seat is one way to significantly reduce injury or death to children in a crash.  Common errors observed by police are that the seat belt and harness has not been tightened enough, the tether strap has not been used when required, and that the child is not in the proper seat for their size/age.

Weight specific restraint system for children:

• Infants:  under 9 kg (20 lbs): Rear facing, away from air bag

• Toddlers: 9:18 kg (20-40 lbs): Forward facing with tether strap

• Pre-Schoolers: under 8 yrs or 18-36 kg (40-80 lbs) or under 145 cm (4’9”): booster seat with lap and shoulder belt

• All others: Regular seat belt with or without booster seat

Child Restraint System Installation

Infant/Toddler

• Seat must be secured to vehicle with seat belt

• Forward facing seats must use tether strap hooked onto anchor bolt fastened to vehicle

• Harness must be snug

• Straps must be double back

• Locking clip must be used with continuous loop seat belt

• Label must show Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and be installed following manufacturer’s instructions

Booster Seats

• Require use of lap and shoulder belts

• Head must be supported by top of booster, vehicle seat or headrest

• Seatbelt adjusters are prohibited

Seat belts

• Must lie across shoulder and middle of chest not touching neck or face, and over hips, not stomach

• Shoulder belts cannot be behind back or under arm

• Every person in a vehicle must be wearing a seat belt with only one person per seat belt assembly

• Keep children away from all active air bags

• Children under 13 years of age are safest in the back seat

Please check with your local Public Health or Police Station to see if your seat is installed correctly.

         

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