What Every Parent Needs To Know About Child Car Seat Safety
Proper Use of Child Car Seats
Photography: Seat Belt
Most parents kow that children are required to be in government approved child car safety seat when travelling in a car. However, studies have shown that just over half of all car seats are not properly installed and can result in injury to the child in case of an accident. Apart from proper installation, parents also aren’t certain as to the appropriate time to switch to the next car seat type.
Essentially there are 4 distinct car seat stages:
- Stage 1: Using a Rear Facing Infant Seat
- Stage 2: Using a Forward Facing Car Seat
- Stage 3: Using a Booster Seat
- Stage 4: Regular Seat Belt Use
To clarify when it is safe to switch to the next car seat phase Transport Canada has put together an excellent guide on Appropriate Car Seat Use For Children.
The information is available in a downloadable pdf brochure entitled Keep Kids Safe: Car Time 1-2-3-4. A French version is available. The Quebec government also publishes a Child Safety Seat Brochure available in pdf format for download. The pdf file is also available in French.
Quebec Child Car Seat Inspection Network
CAA Quebec and the SAAQ (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec) have gotten together to create and manage a permanent network of Child Car Seat Inspection Centers throughout the province of Quebec. In the past this service was available at select times of the year in designated locations which made it difficult for parents to get their child’s car seat inspected when needed.
To find a center simply go to the Child Car Seat page of CAA Quebec and select a region. A list of centers with their addresses and phone numbers will be provided. You must make an appointment before going to the center.
On the West Island, car seat inspection centers are available in Dollard des Ormeaux, Dorval, Kirkland, Lachine, Pierrefonds and Pointe-Claire.
Child Car Seat Recalls
While your at it, make sure to take a look at the Child Restraint and Booster Cushion Recall Notices page from Health Canada to see if there are any safety issues related to the car seat model you are using. The most recent notices are at the top of the page but also scroll down to the bottom of the page to check out past recall bulletins, especially if you are using an older car seat.
