Booster Seats – Keeping Kids Safe

Your child needs a booster seat when he or she has grown too big for the forward-facing car seat.  

Your child will be too big when he or she reaches the height or weight limit for your car seat.  Check your car seat instructions.  Don’t be surprised to find your child might be 6, 7 or 8 before they outgrow a booster seat. It’s about height and weight not age so don’t be in a rush to move to the seat belt!

Booster seats are now mandatory, in Saskatchewan, for children under 7 years of age, less than 145 cm (4’9″) in height and under 36 kg (80 lb.) in weight.

Seat belts are made to fit adults, not children. If you are choosing a new booster seat, buy one with the highest possible height and weight limits.  If you already have a booster seat, your child may outgrow the height or weight limit for the seat before he or she is big enough to use the seat belt.  If this happens, your child will need another booster seat with higher height and weight limits.  

When a child is too small for the seat belt, it touches the child’s neck and rides up on his or her belly.  In a crash, the seat belt works by holding your child tight.  This puts pressure on your child’s body.  If the seat belt is in the right places, it puts pressure on the bones of your child’s shoulder, chest and hips.  This is much safer than if the seat belt puts pressure on soft areas, such as your child’s neck or belly.  A booster positions the seat belt over the right places on your child’s body for safety.  A booster seat keeps the seat belt over the middle of your child’s shoulder and chest.  It keeps the seat belt away from the neck.  A booster seat also helps the seat belt fit across your child’s hip bones.  

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If you think your child is big enough to use the seat belt, take our test. If you answer no to any of these questions, the seatbelt doesn’t fit your child correctly and your child should be in a booster seat.

1.    Can your child sit comfortably with his or her back against the vehicles’ seat back?
2.    Do your child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the vehicle’s seat?
3.    Is the lap portion of the seatbelt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs?
4.    Does the shoulder portion of the seatbelt cross the middle of the shoulder?
5.    Can your child stay comfortably seated like this for the whole trip?

In 2012 in Saskatchewan, there were 92 children under the age of 7 injured and 2 killed while riding in a vehicle. Fourteen of the children injured were not restrained at all or were improperly restrained. In addition, 28 of the injured children were belted by a seatbelt that may have been inappropriate for the child. (Source SGI) Do you want your child flying around a vehicle like a beach ball?

Visit our summer car seat clinics. The next clinic is June 8 from 3-5pm at our office 555-13th Street East. This free clinic will ensure your travels are as safe as possible. If cannot attend the clinic you can always book an appointment by calling 306-953-8358. Safe travels begin with ensuring everyone including your child is buckled up properly.