Car Seat Safety

A baby needs to be rear-facing because they do not have the muscle and bone strength in their neck and back to withstand a forward-facing collision. Babies’ heads are large and heavy compared to the rest of their body, and when the head moves forward suddenly during a collision it can cause damage to the spinal cord. In a rear-facing position, the force of the crash is absorbed into the shell of the car seat.

For rear-facing car seats it is important that the seat is reclined at a 45 degree angle.  However, many vehicle seats are sloped and cause the car seat to sit too upright when installed. Some infant carriers have bases with a built in level adjustment to compensate for this slope. For bases that do not have this feature and for rear-facing convertible seats, place a pool noodle (or tightly rolled up towel) underneath the base at the crease of the vehicle seat to help get a 45 degree recline.

Using a booster seat that meets Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) is required by law for children from a minimum weight of 18 kg (40 lbs.), until they are 145 cm (4’9”), 36 kg (80 lbs.) or 8 years of age.

Seat belt adapters are not safe for anyone to use. They change the position of the seat belt to areas of the body that can be severely injured in a crash. They are also not regulated by Transport Canada. For more information about car seat and seat belt accessories, visit Transport Canada.

All seats sold in Canada must have a label (the national safety mark which is a circular sticker with a maple leaf) which shows the car seat meets the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS).  How much a car seat costs is not an indicator of safety; however, some features may make the car seat easier for you to install in your vehicle and harness your child in it.  The safest seat is the one that is appropriate for your child’s weight, height and developmental stage, can be installed correctly, and that you can easily use properly each and every time.

Your baby has outgrown their infant car seat when they reach of the maximum height or weight limit of the car seat model you own (see the car seat manual and/or car seat label). At that point the child is ready for a convertible car seat, installed in the rear-facing position.

Babies must be rear-facing until they meet three things: a minimum weight of 10 kg (22 lbs.), at least 1 year of age, and walking unassisted. Many convertible car seats now have higher weight and height limits for the rear-facing stage.  Even if your baby meets all three criteria, as long as your child is within the weight and height limits of your current car seat, the rear-facing position is still safer.

A tether strap is attached to the back top portion of convertible, 3-in-1 and combination car seats. The tether strap limits how far forward the car seat will move in a crash or a sudden stop.  All forward-facing car seats must be installed with the tether strap fastened to one of the designated tether anchor bolt locations in your vehicle.  See your vehicle manual for the locations of these anchor bolts. By law police officers can issue a ticket if the tether strap is not used, or if it is not used correctly.

Since September of 1999, all new passenger vehicles have a factory-installed, user-ready anchor bolts, and as of September 2000, all new light trucks, minivans and sport utility vehicles have a specified number of anchor bolts already installed. Check the vehicle owner's manual for the location of the anchor bolts, as they vary from vehicle to vehicle.  If you have an older model vehicle, all passenger vehicles (excluding convertibles, minivans, sport utility vehicles and light pick-up trucks) manufactured after January 1989 have pre-drilled holes for tether anchor bolts. Your car dealership will be able to provide you with an anchor bolt appropriate for your vehicle and in some cases they will install it free of charge.

Car seats checked across Canada indicate that the four most common mistakes made are:

• The child is not in the correct car seat
• The harness straps are not used properly (too loose or incorrect harness height)
• The LATCH (or seat belt) is not tight enough
• Tether straps are not used or used incorrectly (with forward-facing car seats)

Transport Canada highly recommends that children under 13 years of age ride in the back seat of the vehicle, especially if there is a passenger side air bag.

You should read your vehicle manual to find out if there are any locations in the vehicle where a car seat should not be installed. Also, if you are installing a car seat with the LATCH/UAS system, many vehicles do not have anchors for the middle location. Choose a location that allows a correct and tight installation, and also allows you to easily adjust and tighten the car seat harnessing on your child.

To date, there haven't been any significant concerns raised for babies or children secured properly in correctly installed car seats or booster seats. Transport Canada's How to Protect Children in Vehicles with Side Air Bags fact sheet has additional information regarding side air bags. If your child’s car seat is next to a door, clear the area between the child seat and the door of all objects – toys, blankets, and even pillows could harm your child if the side air bag inflates. It is also a good idea to read your vehicle manual to find out if there are any precautions you need to take when installing a car seat or seating your child beside side air bags.

Rear-facing car seats are secured only with a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) strap or seat belt  because they are designed to rock towards the point of impact to absorb a collision’s force into the car seat shell. Please note, a few car seat models require or have an option tethering in a rear-facing position. The vehicle tether anchor locations that meet Canadian crash-testing standards are for forward-facing car seats. If your car seat manual advises you to tether rear-facing, especially to an area of the vehicle other than the designated tether anchor locations, be advised that Transport Canada has not crash tested rear-facing car seats with tether straps and the safety for this installation is unknown. For more information contact Transport Canada at 1-800-333-0371.

Each car seat manufacturer has a specific expiry date for their models, ranging from five to eight years from the date of manufacture, based on their own research and crash-tests. New car seats often have the expiry date printed or moulded onto the shell of the car seat. Otherwise, locate the label on the car seat that shows the model number and date of manufacture and contact the car seat manufacturer to determine if your seat is still safe to use. To safely dispose of your car seat, cut off all harnessing, remove all padding and place the shell and car seat parts in separate garbage bags/containers. 

Often referred to as car seat bunting bags, depending on the design these are considered a safety risk when added to an infant car seat. The additional padding underneath a baby can compress with the force of a collision and create slack in the harnessing, potentially causing injury to your child. Infant car seat covers which do not come between the harnessing and your baby or the shell of the car seat are a safer option. Alternatively, secure your baby in their car seat harnessing first, and then place a blanket over them. Transport Canada further explains what the concerns are for the various car seat products that are not regulated under CMVSS standards.

There is no reason for pregnant women not to wear a seatbelt.  The best way to protect an unborn child is to protect the mother. Pregnant women should always wear a lap/shoulder belt, sitting as upright as possible. The lap belt portion should be placed low across the hips and over the upper thighs. It must lie snugly over the pelvis, never over the abdomen. The shoulder portion should be adjusted for a snug fit and lie between the breasts.  

First, check to make sure that the harness straps are tightened enough on your child. You should only be able to put one finger between the collar bone and the shoulder harness. Next, make sure that the chest clip is at the armpit level. Finally, make sure that you have buckled the chest clip according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your child continues to find a way to unbuckle the chest clip, please call the car seat manufacturer for suggestions.

Beyond the safe installation and harnessing of children in car seats, two situations that could potentially harm your child are leaving them unattended in vehicles and placing car seats on elevated surfaces.

It is never advisable to leave children unattended in vehicles, especially during the summer months. Parents may think that they can safely leave a child in a vehicle for a quick errand, yet delays of only a few minutes can be dangerous. When the outside temperature is 34°C, even with a window slightly open, the temperature inside a car can reach 52°C in just 20 minutes and approximately 60°C in 40 minutes (National Safe Kids Campaign, 2001). Extreme heat affects infants and small children rapidly, overwhelming their body's ability to regulate temperature. When left in a hot vehicle, a young child's core body temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult, with the risk of permanent injury or death.

Another area of concern is placing car seats on elevated surfaces such as tables, washing machines, dryers and shopping carts. Children who fall from such heights can suffer skull, neck and spine fractures, with the additional weight of the car seat adding to the impact of the fall.

Car seats are effective in reducing the risk of injury and death when used properly in vehicles. It is not recommended to use infant carriers beyond their function as a car seat. They should not be used as an alternate place to sleep while at home.

By law, a child must be in a booster seat until they meet one these requirements:

• A standing height of 145 cm (4'9")
• A minimum weight of 36 kg (80 lbs.)
• Eight years of age

Some other indications that your child is ready for a seatbelt:

• Knees should bend comfortably over the edge of the vehicle seat
• The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the middle of your child's chest. It should not touch the neck or face, nor should it be tucked under the arm or behind the back
• The lap belt should fit low over the hip bones, under your child's belly area
• Have your child sit up straight in the back seat and measure them from the tailbone to the top of the head, the sitting height should be at least 74 cm (29")