When it comes to child car seats, a little extra knowledge is the best defence
Most parents are confused, but reading up is worth it, Lorraine Sommerfeld writes.
A couple of years ago, I did a story on child seat installation and was told by the specialist that 80 to 90 per cent of the seats they see are installed incorrectly. When my son was in preschool, I attended a child seat installation clinic put on by our local fire station. I was told about 90 per cent of the seats they saw had been installed incorrectly, including mine. That son is now 25.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
That seat I was trying to install a quarter-century ago barely resembles the NASA-inspired cradles on the market that protect the next generation. The equipment has changed, but parents, it seems, have not.
I feel for those parents. Installing a child seat is time consuming and detail-heavy. You need to read both your car owner’s manual and the seat manufacturer’s manual. Every seat-to-car equation is different. Canada has some of the most stringent safety standards in the world when it comes to protecting the littlest Canadians, and the Transport Canada website is a trove of upto-date information — including product recalls — that is as labyrinthian as it is necessary.
A recent study by Graco, which manufactures car and booster seats, reveals parents across Canada experience doubt about the subject, and confusion about which kids need which seat and which position. Quebecers felt least informed, with only 45 per cent feeling knowledgeable, compared with 88 per cent of British Columbians. Parents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have a good grasp (89 per cent) of the fact a growing child requires seats to be replaced.
One of the more interesting things unearthed in the Graco survey, however, pertains to our perception of safety regarding child seats.
“Almost half of those surveyed (49 per cent) think there are safer car seats on the market than the one they currently use,” the survey found.
Perhaps it’s the fact the vehicles we drive are now laden with exceptional safety features that we are turning a keener eye to the vessels we park our youngsters in. Those surveyed are correct, however, and are right to be confused.
Car seats have an expiry date, and those made for the Canadian market have a Canadian stamp on them. You shouldn’t use a seat purchased in the U.S. or online — Canadian laws are more stringent. Make sure you register your purchase so you’ll be informed of safety notices or recalls. If you’re unsure, go to Transport Canada’s website and check. No seat manufactured before January 2012 can be given away, sold or advertised in Canada. That means you probably shouldn’t be using it, either.
If you’ve ever faced the wall of child seats available for sale, you’ve probably defaulted to the confused side of those surveyed. Rear-facing, forward-facing, weight limits, dimensions, colours, styles, padding, and the list goes on. It is now recommended that children be in some form of car seat or booster until the car’s seatbelt properly fits them. For preteens itching to be grown up, this can mean battles ensue. Stick to your guns.
Car seats can be pricey, and you should factor in this cost as a major one when you’re having a child. There are a few models now on the market that can take your child all the way from newborn to leaving the booster; Graco has one and, while they’re pricier than others, they could defer purchasing more than one seat. My only concern? The same one those parents expressed about whether the seat they’re using is the safest one possible. Technology changes so rapidly, five years from now you might be eyeing that latest and greatest and changing it out anyway.
There can be hidden damage in car seats, especially ones when you don’t know their provenance. Ultraviolet rays break down plastic. Any seat in a vehicle that’s been involved in a collision needs to be replaced, even if no child was in the seat at the time. Your insurance company should honour the claim for a new seat; if they don’t, fight. Don’t use a seat with an unknown history. Any seat you use should have Transport Canada’s seal on it and should include all the instructions and tags, tethers, straps and buckles — and not be expired.
Canadians are still leery: The study says “41 per cent of those surveyed feel like current car seats do not provide enough sideimpact protection for their child. Respondents in Atlantic Canada and Alberta were most likely to think current car seats do not provide enough protection (78 and 74 per cent respectively).”
Current car seats are safer than ever before. Just don’t forget that as a parent you have two main jobs. The first is properly installing the seat into the car, and the second is properly installing your child into the seat. Do your research in advance, set aside a few hours for the actual installation, visit a clinic in your community for tips and assistance and check in with Transport Canada for up-to-date information at tc.gc.ca.
The Graco survey reveals a lot of confusion around a complicated subject, but one that is vital to protecting the most vulnerable passengers in your car.