Every year, about 10,000 children 12 or under are injured, some of them fatally, in traffic collisions in Canada. Surveys show that as many as one-third of Canadian children are not properly restrained when they're travelling in motor vehicles. The only way to protect children from the dangers of collisions or sudden stops is to ensure they are properly restrained in appropriate child safety seats. You'll need to use different styles of seats as your child grows. That's why it's so important that you choose the correct seat for your child, and that you install it correctly.

Rear-facing Infant Carrier or Rear-facing Convertible Seat
Use these seats for newborns through to infants up to about 1 year of age. The main difference between the two styles is that the rear-facing infant carrier can't be converted to a forward-facing seat once your child turns 1 or reaches 22 lb and 26 inches.

The convertible seat does allow you to do this, but it's not easily carried around. So, the standard rear-facing infant carrier may be best for you if you require something to carry your baby in once you reach your destination.

Convertible Seats or Forward-facing Seats
Once your child reaches 1 year of age, they're ready to graduate to a front-facing seat.

The seat should be installed in the middle of the backseat, and it must be tethered to the metal frame of your vehicle by the anchor bolt . If your vehicle doesn't have an anchor bolt already installed (most newer vehicles do) your vehicle dealership can install it for you.

Fasten the harness over your child, and adjust the chest clip so it's at armpit level. There should be very little "give" in the harness; you shouldn't be able to slide more than one finger between your child and the harness on either side of the chest clip.

Your child can remain in this seat until they are about 40 lb (18 kg). When is your child too tall for the seat? If the mid-point of your child's ear is over the top of the child car seat, it's time to move them to another seat.

Universal Attachment System
The Universal Attachment system is also referred to as the LATCH (lower anchorage and tether for children) system. This is a new system for attaching children's restraint systems into a vehicle.

After September 1, 2002, all passenger cars, vans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and 4x4s have two attachment bars within the seat bight. Children's restraint systems will have the attachments to hook onto the bars in the vehicles. Tether straps will still be used as a top anchorage point for forward facing seats.

The seat belt assembly will not be used with the LATCH system. However, the new restraint systems will be designed so that they can be installed with the vehicle seat belt when a LATCH system is not available in the vehicle.

Booster Seats
A booster seat raises your child up so the seat belt rests properly across their chest and hips. There are 2 kinds of booster seats: cushion boosters and high-back boosters.

Boosters in Canada are designed for children between 40-100 lb (18-45 kg) and require both a lap and shoulder belt to use.

Keep your child in the booster seat until they reach the maximum weight and height guidelines for your model. Remember, if the mid-point of your child's ear is over the top of the seat, it's time to move them out.

The standard recommendation in North America is to keep children in booster seats in age eight and/or 80 lb (36 kg).

Seatbelts
Children who have reached age eight and/or 80 lb (36 kg) can now safely use a regular seatbelt system. The lap belt should be worn low over the hips, and the shoulder belt should always be across the chest, never touching the face or neck.

Children under 12 are safest in the backseat.

For more information on child car seats, call the Manitoba Public Insurance Road Safety department at 1-888-767-7640 (toll free) or 985-7199 in Winnipeg.