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Car seat safety checklist
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Car seat safety checklist

Remember to always check your car seat instructions and car owner's manual for proper installation of your car seat.

Your car seat
  • Did you check for the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) approval label on your car seat?
  • Did you check for an expiry date on your car seat?
  • Is your car seat in good condition, without cracks, damage or frayed straps?
  • Has your car seat been involved in a collision?
  • Has your car seat been recalled by the manufacturer for safety reasons?
  • Do you have written instructions for your car seat?
Buckling your child in their car seat
  • Did you check your car seat instructions or labels on your car seat to make sure your child's weight and height are within the manufacturer's limits?
  • Are your infant/child's buttocks and back placed flat against the back of the car seat?
  • Are the harness straps snug so that only one finger fits between the harness strap and your child's collar bone?
  • Are the harness straps free of twists or frays?
  • Are the harness straps threaded through the correct slots?
  • Is the harness buckled between your infant/child's legs?
  • Is the chest clip at your infant/child's armpit level?
  • Is your infant/child free of bulky clothing and excess padding? For example, a blanket, or a bunting bag.
  • Is your car seat being used for travel only and not as a sleeping device?
Putting your car seat in your car                                                                      
  • Is the vehicle seat belt or universal anchor system holding your car seat firmly in place?
  • Do you need to use a locking clip (an H-shaped metal clip) on the seat belt to secure your car seat in the car? Check your vehicle owner's manual or label on the seat belt to see if one is required.
  • Did you check to make sure your infant/child car seat is not in front of an air bag?

Infant-only car seats 

  • Did you check your instructions to see if the carrying handle needs to be lowered when traveling in your car?
  • Is the car seat or base properly reclined so that your baby's upper body lies at a 45o angle in your car?
  • Is the seat belt or universal anchor system holding the car seat or the base tight?



Convertible car seats used rear-facing 
See full size image

  • Is the convertible car seat adjusted to the reclined position?
  • Is the seat belt through the correct belt path for rear-facing?
  • Are the harness straps threaded through the correct slots for rear-facing?
  • Is the car seat properly reclined?


Car seats used forward-facing 
  See full size image

  • Is the convertible car seat adjusted to the upright position?
  • Is the seat belt through the correct belt path for forward-facing?
  • Are the harness straps threaded through the correct slots for your convertible or forward-facing only seat? See manufacturers' instructions.
  • Is the convertible/forward-facing only car seat secured to your car by using the seat belt or universal anchor system and a tether strap? (The tether strap attaches to a tether bolt in the frame of the car.)

 

Booster seats high back booster seat

  • Does the shoulder belt cross your child's mid-shoulder, not their throat or face?
  • Is the booster seat right for your car(s)? (Some cars have low seat backs which could cause neck injury in a crash. A rigid high back booster may be a better choice, if you have lap/shoulder belts in the back seat.)
  • Add-on seat belt adjusters should not be used instead of a booster seat. These adjusters do not have to meet any Canadian standard and can be very unsafe.


This is not a complete checklist.

For more information on car seat safety, call Safe Ride at 604-875-3273 or BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation at 1-877-247-5551.  Websites: http://www.tsf-bcaa.com/ or http://www.icbc.com/