Booster Seat Safety
To keep children as safe as possible when in a vehicle, one of the most important things is to make sure they are buckled up properly, even on the shortest trips. This involves using the right kind of child restraint system (car seat or booster seat). Child restraint systems are designed to keep children secure and safe when travelling in a vehicle and to protect young children from injury when a vehicle stops suddenly or is involved in a collision.
Regardless of age, all passengers in any vehicle (car, truck or van) must be buckled in. Guidelines for the child’s height, age and weight to determine the best child safety restraint must be followed. It is safest to keep the child in his or her car seat stage for as long as possible before advancing to the next stage. The reason for this is that every car seat stage, starting with a rear facing seat, to a front facing seat, to a booster seat, is more protective than the next. Remember, children are always safest when they ride in their seat in the back seat.
The law regarding the mandatory use of booster seats for children in Newfoundland and Labrador came into effect in 2008.
Click here for publications about child passenger safety.
Related Links
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- Transport Canada: Car Time – Stage 3: Safe Travel in a Booster Seat
- Child Safety Link: Car Seat Safety Resources
- Parachute Canada: Car Seat Information
- Keeping Your Child Safe in the Car – Seat Belts
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