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Car seat considerations
• Back seat or front seat?
• Never alone in the car
• Sleeping in car seats
• Air-bags
• Add-on products
• Tether straps
• Universal Anchorage System (UAS)
Back seat or front seat?
Safety experts strongly recommend that children under 12 years of age always ride in the back seat of a vehicle. All passengers are actually safest in the back seat, but since that’s not always possible, experts agree that younger passengers should sit in the back of a vehicle, because they are less physically developed and more vulnerable to severe injury.
When parents need to transport several children and all the back seats are being used, the oldest child may sit in the front seat. Regardless of where a child sits, they must be in a car seat that is appropriate for their height and weight, and the car seat must be attached correctly to the vehicle seat. If the car seat manual indicates that both a lap belt and shoulder belt are necessary (with a booster seat for example), or that a tether strap is required, this must be followed. Rear-facing car seats should never be put in the front seat of a vehicle, because this is too dangerous for the infant.
The front passenger air bags must be turned off if a child is sitting in the front seat. Air bags are designed to protect larger passengers, but can seriously hurt a child. Vehicle manuals provide information on turning off air bags, and car dealerships can also help.
Never alone in the car
Children should never be left alone in a vehicle. Children have suffered from heat or cold-related injury and even death when they have been left alone in hot or cold cars.
Children can also become trapped in power windows when they put their head out the window of a parked car and lean on the window switch. Parents can prevent this type of injury by never leaving their child alone in a parked or idling vehicle. Some newer vehicles have lever switches, which are safer than other types of switches.
Upon arrival, parents should remove sleeping babies and children from the vehicle right away. It is also important to lock vehicle doors and the trunk when not in use so older children do not get in the vehicle.
Sleeping in car seats
Children often fall asleep in their car seats while travelling but car seats are designed to transport your child safely in a vehicle and they should never be used in place of a crib. Here are some guidelines that parents and caregivers can follow:
- Newborns are at risk of breathing difficulties while in car seats, because they lack the strength in their necks to hold their heads up. Very young babies should spend no more than one hour at a time in their car seat, and parents should ensure that the baby is positioned properly and breathing comfortably. Once a baby reaches one month of age, the risk is greatly reduced, so parents may plan longer car trips accordingly, while still being careful to monitor and take scheduled rest stops.
- Ensure that the rear-facing car seat is at the correct angle of 45 degrees. This reduces the risk of a baby’s head dropping forward and causing breathing problems.
- When parents use an infant carrier or car seat outside of a vehicle, they should do so for only a short time and stay close by. It’s important to keep the baby buckled in, and place the seat on a low level, such as the floor rather than on a table. This will reduce the chance of the car seat falling.
Air bags
Air bags are designed to protect adults and older children, but can seriously hurt a young child or infant. Parents can keep children under 12 years of age away from air bags by putting them in the back seat of the vehicle. If a child must sit in the front seat, it is important to turn the air bag off. Transport Canada is starting to offer an air bag deactivation program in early 2010.
Add-on products
Products that are not included with a new car seat should not be used. Some examples include: bunting bags, seat belt adjusters, attachable plastic trays or mirrors, harness strap covers or head support pads. These products were not crash-tested with the car seats and could contribute to injury in a collision or sudden stop.
Tether straps
All forward-facing car seats require a tether strap. New vehicles come with factory installed tether bolts. Drivers can look in their vehicle manual to see where the tether anchor is located. Often with an older vehicle, the dealership will assist with installing the anchor bolt.
The tether strap should be installed directly behind the car seat. The purpose of the tether strap is to prevent the top of the car seat from moving forward in the event of a collision or sudden stop.
Universal Anchorage System (UAS) also called LATCH system
The UAS is simply another way to attach a car seat to the vehicle, instead of using the vehicle seat belts. Parents can choose to use either the UAS or the vehicle seat belts, but should not use both. Some parents may find that the UAS is a quicker method, especially if the car seat will be moved from one vehicle to another on occasion.
Vehicles made after September 1, 2002 have UAS anchors. Drivers can look in their vehicle to find the location of the UAS connectors, and how to use them properly. They look like small metal bars and are located where the seat back meets the bottom part of the seat. It is important to check with the vehicle manual to see what seating positions have the UAS – not all vehicles allow for the centre seating position to use UAS.
