The Ontario Ministry of Transportation states that a child can start using a seat belt system once any one of the following criteria is met:

• Child turns eight years old or
• Child weighs 36kg (80 lbs) or
• Child is 145cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall

At 8 years old, your child may be ready to use your vehicle’s seat belt safely. However, it is recommended that he or she remain in a booster seat until your child is able to sit with his or her back straight against the back of the vehicle’s seat with knees bent over the edge of the seat without the child having to slouch down. Booster seats reduce the risk of injury 59% better than seatbelts alone.

During the car trip, keep checking the position of the belt – we all know that young children often wriggle around and that can cause the lap belt to ride up above the hips and rest over the stomach which can cause abdominal injuries in the event of a crash.

Transport Canada recommends that children under the age of 13 always sit in the back seat of the vehicle and use a lap/shoulder belt when possible.

Putting your child in the vehicle seat

It’s something we do every day. When it comes to our children, we need to take care in strapping them in a seat belt, ensuring their safety.

Lap/Shoulder Belt

• The lap/shoulder belt offers the best protection as it provides good restraint to the entire body and significantly reduces the risk of head and other injuries during a crash or rollover.
• The shoulder belt portion should cross the middle of the chest and lie flat on the shoulder.
• Make sure that the lap portion is placed over the hipbones and NOT across the stomach.
• Never tuck the shoulder belt under a child’s arm or back.

Lap Belt

• A lap belt provides limited protection; however it does prevent your child from being thrown from the vehicle during a crash or rollover.
• Make sure that the belt is placed over the hipbones and NOT across the stomach.