For all seats at
all times check:
• Child car seat manufacturer’s instructions;
• Vehicle owner’s manual which has
information about air bags, seat belts,
or UAS and tether anchors;
• That the shoulder harnesses are snug so
only one finger fits between the harness
and collar bone, or you are unable to
pinch a fold in the harness strap;
• That the shoulder harness is in
the correct slot.
Rear-Facing – at or below shoulders
Forward-Facing – at or above shoulders;
• That the harness straps lie flat;
• That the chest clip is at armpit level;
• That the child car seat has the Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS)
sticker for legal use in Canada;
• For the expiry date on the car seat
or in the instruction booklet.
FIGURE 1:
Universal
Anchorage
System (UAS)
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.HEALTHUNIT.com
Car Seat Safety Brochurev4.indd 1
For more
information
about child
car seats visit:
Middlesex-London Health Unit
www.healthunit.com/car-seat-safety
Transport Canada/Motor Vehicle Safety:
www.tc.gc.ca (search: car seats).
Ontario Ministry of Transportation:
www.mto.gov.on.ca (search: car seats)
to view car seat installation videos.
Infant and Toddler Safety Association (ITSA)
1-888-570-0181
www.infantandtoddlersafety.ca
FIGURE 2:
Tether Strap
and Tether Anchor
Produced November 2015
CHILD Don't Forget...
CAR SEAT
SAFETY
• Install all child seats away from active air bags.
• The safest place for a child under 13 years
of age is in the back seat of a vehicle.
What you • Use the seat belt OR your vehicle’s
need to know UAS to install your child seat. Do not use both
unless recommended in car seat instructions.
• If using the UAS system, check the vehicle
owner’s manual to ensure correct
child seat placement.
• Ensure seat belt or UAS is tight allowing
no more than 1” (2.5cm) movement.
•Use a locking clip if vehicle seat belt
does not have a locking feature.
Check vehicle owner’s manual.
• Secure all loose objects so passengers are
not injured in the event of a collision
or sudden stop.
 heck the child car seat manufacturer’s
C
instructions for the correct placement
for the seat belt or UAS. There is one
path when the seat is rear facing and
a different path for forward facing.
2015-12-10 3:43 PM
 STAGE 1:
Rear Facing (Infant )
• Car seat must be secured with the vehicle
seat belt or the Universal Anchorage
System (UAS), not both. See Figure 1
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for the
handle position when travelling in vehicle.
• Adjust the base of the car seat or use a pool
noodle under the infant seat to make the
45 degree angle that prevents the child’s
head from falling forward to the chest.
• Harness straps come through the seat,
level with or below the shoulders.
• Top of child’s head should be at least 1” (2.5 cm)
below the top of the car seat.
• Child seat should not touch the front vehicle seats.
• Never put added padding underneath or
behind the child or use oversized clothing or
bunting bags. The material could compress in
a crash, and the harness could become loose.
• Use the infant car seat until the child has
outgrown the upper weight or height limit of
the seat. Use an infant/child car seat in the
rear facing position when the child has
outgrown the infant car seat.
Car Seat Safety Brochurev3.indd 1
Rear Facing (Infant – Child)
• Car seat must be secured with the vehicle
seat belt or the Universal Anchorage
System (UAS), not both. See Figure 1
• Harness straps come through the seat,
level with or below the shoulders.
• Top of child’s head should be at least 1”
(2.5 cm) below the top of the car seat.
• Child seat should not touch the front
vehicle seats.
• Never put added padding underneath or
behind the child or use oversized clothing.
The material could compress in a crash,
and the harness could become loose.
• Use the rear facing car seat until the child
has outgrown the upper weight or height
limit of the car seat.
• Don’t rush to move your child to a forward
facing car seat. Young children are safest
rear facing.
STAGE 2:
Forward Facing (Child)
• Car seat must be secured with the vehicle
seat belt or the Universal Anchorage
System (UAS), not both. See Figure 1. Using
both systems together may not be safe.
Check your car seat owner’s manual.
• Top tether strap must be used. It must be tight
so the top of the seat does not move forward
more than 1” (2.5cm). See Figure 2
•See vehicle owner’s manual to find the
location of the tether anchor for securing the
tether strap.
• Harness straps come through the seat,
level with or above the shoulders.
• Use the forward facing car seat with the
harness until the child has outgrown the
upper weight or height limit of the car seat.
• Don’t rush to move your child to a booster seat.
STAGE 3:
Booster
• A booster seat raises the child so the adult
seat belt fits properly on the child’s body.
• Vehicle shoulder and lap belt must be used.
• Vehicle shoulder belt must be centered
on the shoulder and chest.
• Vehicle lap belt rests across the upper thighs.
• Top of child’s ears should be below
booster seat back or below the vehicle
seat back if a backless booster is used.
• Booster seats should be secured when not in
use to prevent injuries to other passengers.
• Don’t rush to move your child to a vehicle
seat belt. Keep using the booster seat
until child has outgrown the upper weight
or height limit of the booster seat.
Ontario’s highway traffic act requires children
to use a booster seat when they are:
Less than 80 lbs (36 kg) OR Less than 4’9” (145 cm)
OR Under the age of 8 years old.
2015-12-03 11:32 AM