Remember booster seats help save kids lives

OPP News Release

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Commencing Wednesday, April 15th, 2009, officers of North Bay, Mattawa and Powassan OPP Detachments will actively take part in this year’s Spring Seat Belt Campaign which runs until Sunday, April 26th, 2009.

Traffic crashes remain a leading cause of injury-related deaths in Ontario. Provincially, as of April 12th, 2009, 74 people died in a motor vehicle collision of which 14 people were not wearing a seatbelt. Using seatbelts is the single most effective way in reducing vehicle related injuries and fatalities. The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $110 and two demerit points.

Motorists should not take lightly the importance of booster seats. Statistics show that only 34 per cent of children between the ages of four and eight are properly secured. When used correctly, a booster seat provides 60 per cent more protection than a seatbelt alone. In a collision, children using seatbelts instead of booster seats are three and a half times more likely to suffer significant injury, and four times more likely to suffer head injury.

Booster seats prevent injuries and save lives, and that’s why they are the law in Ontario. Since 2005, every child up to age eight must be properly secured in an appropriate child car safety seat. If they are not, any caregiver — from a grandparent to a babysitter — could face a $110 fine and two demerit points.

For a child safety seat to work, it must be used correctly. This means proper installation and choosing the right seat for your child, which depends on the child's age, weight and height. Parents looking for help should visit www.ontario.ca/smartlove or contact their local public health unit.

All it takes is a moment to make sure your child’s car seat or booster seat is set up correctly, or to remind a passenger to buckle up — you could end up saving a life!

Remember Booster Seats Also Save Lives

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