Child booster seats mandatory - 2004-05-04 at 09:57
QUEEN'S PARK, May 3 /CNW/ - New measures requiring booster seats for children who are too big for toddler seats and too small to be protected by seat belts would prevent injuries and save lives, Transportation Minister
Harinder Takhar and Children and Youth Services Minister Dr. Marie Bountrogianni announced today.
"We must do everything we can to protect our children from motor vehicle collisions, a leading cause of death and injury among young children," Takhar said.
"Our children are precious," said Dr. Bountrogianni. "It's a sad fact that children using seat belts instead of booster seats are 3.5 times more likely to suffer significant injury, and four times more likely to suffer head injury. "
The government is planning legislation and regulation that would make booster seats mandatory for pre-school to primary-grade-aged children weighing between 18 kg and 36 kg (40 lbs. to 80 lbs.), with a standing height of less
than 145 cm (4ft. 10 inches) or maximum age of eight ears.
Currently, Ontario law requires children over 18 kilograms to wear only a normal seat belt. It's expected the new requirement would go into effect in spring 2005 to give manufacturers and parents time to make the adjustment.
It would also extend the mandatory use of child car seats to caregivers such as grandparents and babysitters; and assign demerit points for failing to use child car seats or for using them incorrectly.
"We know that many parents are simply not aware of the safety value of booster seats and far too few are using them," said Allyson Hewitt, executive director of Safe Kids Canada, the national program of Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. "The intended proposed legislation and the development of the accompanying regulations would be a critical step towards our goal of keeping all children as safe as possible while travelling in vehicles."
"Ontario has the safest roads in Canada," Takhar said. "But we must do even more to protect our people and our future, and that's why we're planning these new measures to protect our children."
