September, 2001

Booster seats are best for small children

All children require a number of different child restraints to fit them as they grow. What about when they are too big for a restraint, but still too small for seat belts? A booster seat may be the best option to keep them safe.

"When children grow out of forward-facing child restraints, they need to be put in booster seats. And they should stay in the booster seat until they are big enough to fit properly in an adult seat belt," says Shannon Ell, SGI's Supervisor of Traffic Safety Promotion.

Generally, children who weigh over 40 lbs. are the proper weight for booster seats, but check the manufacturer's instructions to ensure the seat is appropriate for the child's size.

What should parents consider when shopping for a booster seat? Ell says before going shopping, look at what kind of seat belts you have in the back of your vehicle.

Ell advises that if shoulder belts are present, booster seats with a high back will offer better neck and head support. Booster seats with high backs cannot be used when a lap belt is the only option. If there is only a lap belt, a shield booster works best.

Children under 12 years old are safest in the back seat and should never be placed in seats with an air bag. Children sitting too close to a deploying air bag can be seriously, even fatally, injured. The middle of the back seat is the safest place for children to be placed in a vehicle. However, a booster seat with a high back should only be placed in the middle of the back seat if there is a shoulder belt in that position.

As well, consult this safety checklist if you are purchasing a second-hand booster seat. Never buy a seat if it:

• has been in a crash

• is 10 years old or more

• does not have an owner's manual

• has been recalled by the manufacturer

• has been dropped from a distance

• does not have a sticker affixed to it stating the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) have been met

"The safety check is really important when you're looking at used seats. It could help prevent serious injury to your child in the event of a crash," says Ell.

Once children reach 60 lbs., an adult seat belt may be the best fit, according to Ell.

For more information, contact:
Shannon Ell
Supervisor, Traffic Safety Promotion
SGI Communications
Regina
(306) 775-6179

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