Car seats are the law – and for good reason! A correctly used car seat can reduce the chance of serious injury by 70%. Without a car seat, you will not be allowed to leave the hospital. In fact, when I had both of my children, the nurses would not let me get into the elevator until my husband brought up the car seat to show them that we actually had one. When it comes to car seats though, there is a whole lot of legal government regulations to learn about. Here are some helpful hints that may help you in your search:
Don’t buy a used car seat or borrow one from a friend who used it for her kids. It may not be the safest option, as safety regulations change with time and improvements are being made constantly, especially when it comes to the safety of children. In addition, if a car seat was involved in an accident, it cannot be used. Always check labels to make sure the car seat you choose meets current federal safety standards
There are two ways in which a car seat may be secured into your vehicle. Cars manufactured after Sept. 1, 2002 use a LATCH-equipped car seat with lower anchor attachments and top-tether anchors. Cars manufactured before Sept. 1, 2002 will use the car’s seat belt system to safely secure the car seat in place.
The safety of car seats involves not only properly installing the seat into the car, but also, using the harnesses correctly to secure your child. Check the straps for a proper fit each time you put your child in the seat. The straps should be snug and the harness retainer clip (or the chest clip) should always be secured at the lever of the child's armpit. You should be able to pass no more than one finger between the shoulder harness and the child's collarbone.
If you have two cars that you and your partner use, you may want to buy a second base for their other car. This is a matter of preference and convenience but many people find this to be more manageable than un-installing and re-installing the car seats each time you need to switch cars.
Since children grow and change, so should their car seats. You must consider the height and weight of your child when you buy. There are four stages of child safety in vehicles:
Stage 1: Rear Facing Infant Car Seat:
Use a rear-facing infant seat in the back seat of the car from birth until your baby is about one year old or 22lbs. The longer you keep your child in a rear-facing child seat, the safer he/she will be. This is because babies have relatively large heads and weak neck muscles. Installing the car seat backwards ensures that in the event of a collision, the back of the child seat will take the impact of the crash.
Never place an infant car seat in a seat equipped with an airbag. Should the airbag deploy as a result of a collision, serious injury or death may result.
Stage 2: Forward Facing Child Seat:
Use a forward-facing child seat from 22lbs (10kg) to 40 lbs (18kg). This is generally between the ages of 1 – 4 ½ years. A properly installed forward-facing child seat is safe and effective because it has three different parts that work together: The harness absorbs the forward motion of the child at the moment of impact; the vehicle seat belt or Universal Anchorage System (UAS) keeps the base in place and the tether strap secures the top of the child seat to the vehicle.
Stage 3: Booster Seat:
Use a booster seat from 40 lbs (18 kg), generally from about age 41/2 to 8 years. Children are ready to use a booster seat when they are over the maximum weight for their child seat – but no
sooner than this! For this age group, booster seats are the safest way to position a seat belt correctly over a child’s body. An incorrectly positioned seat belt can cause a child to be seriously injured or even killed in a sudden stop or collision. If the seat is not being used, buckle it into place or remove it from the vehicle. You don’t want it to fly around dangerously in a sudden stop or collision.
Never tuck the shoulder belt behind the child or under the arm. Doing so could result in serious injury or death. Don’t rush to move your child from a booster seat to a vehicle seat belt.
Stage 4: The Seat Belt:
From about the age of 8 years, a weight of 80 lbs or a height of 4'9", a child should be secured in a regular car seat using a regular seat belt. Remember, kids under the age of 12, must be seated in the rear of the vehicle. Never tuck the shoulder belt behind the child or under the arm. Doing so could result in serious injury or death.
For more information on choosing the right car seat for your child call Transport Canada at: 1(800) 333-0371 or Baby Land at (905) 761-0301 or better yet, just stop by.
Top of page
|
