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Seatbelt and Child Safety Laws
- 1/14If you are the driver carrying passengers, you are responsible for
Drivers are responsible for making sure all passengers, especially children, are properly secured with seatbelts or child safety devices
When you are driving, you must wear a seatbelt because
Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of serious injury or death in a collision and is also legally required in British Columbia
If you are pregnant and wearing a seatbelt, you should adjust the lap belt in this way
The lap belt should fit snugly and sit low across the hips below the baby to provide safety and reduce the risk of harm in a collision
If you place the shoulder strap under your arm or behind your back
Placing the shoulder strap under the arm or behind the back can cause the crash force to impact soft tissues and lead to severe internal injuries
If you are not wearing a seatbelt and your car stops suddenly
Without a seatbelt the person keeps moving at the previous speed of the vehicle until hitting the dashboard windshield or another surface or being ejected
If your vehicle crashes and ends up in fire or water, wearing a seatbelt helps by
Wearing a seatbelt reduces the severity of the first impact which helps you stay conscious and able to act during emergencies like fire or submersion
To be legal and safe in Canada, a child safety seat must have approval from
A child safety seat must meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards CMVSS to be approved and offer effective protection in a crash
When using a rear-facing child car seat, you must always place it
Rear-facing child car seats must always be installed in the back seat to provide the best protection during a collision
If there is an active airbag in the front seat
An active airbag in the front seat can cause fatal injuries to a child in seat and therefore must be avoided
Before allowing your child to stop using a child car seat, they should be
It is safest for a child to continue using a child car seat until they reach a height of 145 cm or 4 feet 9 inches for proper belt fit
A child can use an adult seatbelt if they are
Children can shift to wearing a seatbelt when they are over 36 kg, or at least nine years old, or reach 145 cm, whichever comes first.
To provide the safest seating location, children should remain in the back seat until
Children should remain in the back seat until they are 12 years old as it is generally safer in a crash and away from active front airbags
When your child is using the seatbelt only, the shoulder belt should be positioned
The shoulder belt must fit over the shoulder of the child and lie flat across the chest to offer proper restraint and avoid injury
If the vehicle seat is reclined too far while wearing a seatbelt
A reclined seat can allow the person to slide under the lap belt during a crash which can cause serious internal or spinal injuries