Choosing a child car seat or booster seat

A kid'due south developmental phase, weight and height can assistance determine what type of kid car seat is all-time suited for them:

Blazon of car seat Stage Weight of child Elevation requirement
Rear-facing child automobile seat Babe/babe Upwardly to 9kg (twentylb) None
Forrard-facing child car seat Toddler 9-eighteenkg (xx-twoscorelb) None
Booster seat Under the age of 8 eighteen-36kg (xl-80lb) Under 145cm (4ft ixin) alpine

Your child can utilise a seatbelt lonely when they achieve whatever of the following milestones:

  • turns 8 years old
  • weighs 36kg (80lb)
  • reaches a height of 145cm (4ft 9in) or more

Follow recommendations from the manufacturer

It's safest to keep your child in a child motorcar seat or booster seat until they accomplish the maximum weight and superlative limits of the kid automobile seat.

Virtually child car seats practise not allow the utilise of aftermarket products and advise to not wearing apparel the child in bulky wearable or sports gear as it can compromise the fit of the harness.

Always follow the recommended apply ready out past the manufacturer.

Buying a kid car seat

When purchasing a child car seat or booster seat, cheque that it has:

Canadian motor vehicle safety standards label
  • a National Condom Mark characterization which indicates that the seat complies with Canadian regulations and standards and is legal for use in Canada
  • an expiry date or useful life date that has non past
  • all necessary components
  • instructions on how to use and install it
  • no signs of clothing, torn harness straps, stress marks or cracks
  • never been in a collision

Installing a child car seat

For all kid car seats, read the manufacturer's education transmission and your vehicle owner manual for proper use and installation.

Your child can remain in a rear-facing child car seat until they outgrow the weight and peak limits. When switching to the adjacent stage of child motorcar seat, check that the child meets all the minimum requirements outlined by the manufacturer.

Rear-facing and forward-facing kid motorcar seats

  1. Identify the kid machine seat in the back seat of the vehicle away from active airbags.
  2. For rear-facing seats, angle the seat co-ordinate to the sticker or level indicator on the side or base of operations of the seat. Use the appropriate recline level set out past the manufacturer.
  3. Feed the seatbelt or universal anchor organization (UAS) through the appropriate chugalug path of the child car seat. Fasten it. At that place should be no more than ii.5cm (1in) of movement at the chugalug path. Be sure to cheque the UAS weight limits in the vehicle owner's transmission and the child car seat manufacturers didactics manual.
  4. Utilize the harness slots to position the straps:
    • for rear-facing child auto seats, the harness straps need to be coming from the slot at or below the infant's shoulders
    • for forward-facing, the harness straps need to be coming from the slot at or above the child'south shoulders
    Bank check that the straps are straight and exercise not twist or fold. The harness should exist snug so that you lot can't pinch any backlog webbing.
  5. For forward-facing child auto seats, fasten the elevation tether strap, which is located on the rear of the child machine seat, to the appropriate anchor point in the vehicle.
  6. Center the breast clip on the harness at the kid'due south sternum (armpit level).
  7. Each fourth dimension y'all place your child in the child car seat, check that the installation is still secure. Tighten the harness straps again if needed. If you are using a rear-facing kid car seat with a base, brand sure the child car seat latches into the base every time.

Booster seat

Information technology'due south safest to permit the child outgrow the forward-facing child motorcar seat earlier moving to a booster seat. Follow these steps to properly use your booster seat:

  1. Just employ a booster seat in a vehicle seat position that has both a lap and shoulder seatbelt.
  2. Identify the booster seat in the back seat away from an active airbag.
  3. Adjust the lap and shoulder belts. The shoulder strap lies centred across your child's shoulder (non the neck or face) and middle of the chest. The lap chugalug crosses low over the hips (non tum). Exercise not utilise seatbelt adjusters.
  4. Make sure your child's head is supported by the top of the booster seat, the vehicle seat or the headrest.

Seatbelt tips for children

When using a seatbelt on a kid:

  • seat children under xiii in the back seat of your vehicle
  • each child should accept their own seatbelt
  • make sure the shoulder strap lies centred beyond your child's shoulder and the eye of the breast (non the cervix or face) and the lap belt crosses over the hips (not the breadbasket)
  • check that the shoulder strap is not under your kid's arm or backside their back

Fines and penalties

In Ontario, all drivers — including visiting drivers — must make sure that children under the age of 16 wear a seatbelt and children under the age of 8 are properly secured in the right child automobile seat or booster seat.

You can be charged under the Highway Traffic Act for declining to secure a child nether your intendance. If convicted, yous can face up:

  • fine of $240
  • 2 demerit points on your driving record

Exemptions from Ontario's child auto seat requirements

Some drivers are exempt from the legal requirements of child automobile seats and booster seats including drivers of:

  • a taxicab transporting a passenger for hire except when:
    • transporting children for personal reasons
    • operating a taxi while under contract with a school board or other authority for the transportation of children
  • bus or public vehicle transporting a passenger for hire
  • an ambulance as divers in department 61 of the Highway Traffic Human activity
  • vehicles that only have lap belts (exempted from using booster seats only)

Transporting a child with special needs

For children with special needs, alternative restraints must comply with federal safety standards and tin include:

  • car beds
    • premature infants built-in at less than 37 weeks
    • low birth weight infants at less than ii,500thousand (about 5.5lb)
  • Snug Seat Hippo
    • children requiring casts
  • EZ-On Vest (safety vest)
    • children at least 2 years erstwhile
    • weigh betwixt nine and 76kg (20-168lb) with:
      • poor torso control
      • certain casts
      • children diagnosed with a developmental inability
  • Modified EZ-On Vest (safety vest)
    • children two to 12 years old
    • weigh betwixt 9 and 45kg (xx-100lb)
    • who must travel lying down

Car seat recalls

Y'all can discover auto seat recalls for safety issues — including manufacturer information and models — by visiting Transport Canada.