The safety and security of our children is first and foremost on anyone's mind, both inside the home and when travelling. My mother taught me that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, working with the RCMP has driven this point home. Over the years I have attended a number of motor vehicle collisions, but the worst ones are when children were not properly restrained in a car seat, the car seat was not properly installed or not used at all.
The use of child seats is mandatory, but there is often confusion over what type of seat to use and when to switch from rear facing to forward facing seats or booster seats. Proper installation of car seats is necessary to ensure your child's safety and use of the Universal Anchorage System (UAS) is there to provide this added measure of safety. In most vehicles, this symbol shows you where to find your car's UAS anchor bars. It also shows you where the connectors are on your car seat.
Rear Facing Car Seats: Babies have large heads and weak necks. The car seats are angled backwards because babies need extra support while riding in a car. A rear-facing car seat will support your baby's neck in a sudden stop or crash. Keep your child in the rear-facing seat for as long as they are still in the weight/height range of the seat. The harnesses should be just at or below your child's shoulders.
Forward Facing Car Seats: These have harness straps that are narrower than a vehicle seat belt and fit children's small shoulders. As long your child is still in the weight/height range of the seat itself, you can still safely use the child seat. Remember If the seat does not have harness straps do not use it. On the forward facing seat the UAS should be used (if equipped) with the seatbelt and with the top tether anchor. The harnesses should be just at or above your child's shoulders.
Booster Seats: Check the height and weight restrictions on a booster seat when purchasing it, make sure it fits your child and your vehicle. The shoulder belt should fit in the middle of your child's shoulder to make it comfortable, make it less likely that your child will wiggle out of it or put it behind them or slip off them. Check the headrest for height, it should be at least to the top of the child's ears, if not select a different seat. Always install car seats and booster seats in the back seat of your vehicle away from your vehicles front air bags.
Car Seat Law in PEI
- Rear-Facing Car Seat. Infants from birth weight to 10 kg (22 lb) and a minimum of one year of age must travel in a rear-facing child restraint seat.
- Forward Facing Car Seat. Children weighing 10 kg (22 lb) or more and age 1, but less than 18 kg (40 lb) may ride in a forward facing seat.
- Booster Seat 18 kg (40 lb) or more, nine years of age or less and less than 145 centimetres tall (57 inches / 4 feet, 9 inches).
Important: Remember that Car Seats have an expiry date, if you are purchasing a used car seat or using it for another child, check to see if it is has expired and if it has purchase another one. If a car seat was in a vehicle that was involved in a collision, whether your child was in the seat or not, the car seat should be replaced as it could have sustained damage. The RCMP would like to remind you to regularly inspect your child's car seat to ensure that the seat is free from damage that could affect the integrity of the seat and put your child's safety at risk.