Child car seats: New legislation for increased security

In Quebec new legislation on child car seats will come into effect on April 18, 2019. It will extend the period of time that children are required to use car seats. They will be mandatory until children are 145 cm (4.9 ft.) tall or nine years old.

The Highway Safety Code currently requires children under 63 cm tall when seated to use car seats adjusted for their weight and height.

Why?

The government was clearly motivated by child safety to follow recommendations from various organizations with expertise in road safety, including CAA-Quebec, and ultimately adopt this change. Children should use booster seats until a seatbelt fits perfectly without one. Seatbelts are designed for adults measuring at least 145 cm, so if a child stops using a car seat too soon, they could suffer serious injuries in the event of a collision.

Child car seat legislation in nine other Canadian provinces and territories already includes the 145 cm minimum height.

Too many victims

Over 1,000 passengers age nine or under are victims of road accidents each year in Quebec. It was important to find an effective solution to improve this grim statistic.

Proper installation required

Having the right car seat is good, but it still needs to be installed properly. When used correctly, child car safety seats reduce the risk of death and serious injury in road accidents by up to 70%. In collaboration with CAA-Québec, Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) has been providing a car seat inspection service through the Child Car Seat Verification Network since 2007. Inspections are performed free of charge by qualified technicians who have received appropriate training based on strict criteria.

Visit the SAAQ website to learn everything you need to know about child car seats.