An infant who is not properly restrained in a car is more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a car accident. According to a report by Transport Canada, Every year, 10,000 children under the age of 12 are injured in traffic accidents. This statistic has resulted in many provinces enacting laws mandating that infants are restrained in infant car seats when driving in a vehicle.
In September 2005, Ontario became the first province to mandate the use of child car seats. Other provinces that have since followed and enacted their own child seat legislation include: Nova Scotia, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Today, each province has its own laws regarding infants and car seats. The purpose of car seats is to restrain infants and children to prevent injury or death in the event of a car accident. If not, a child can be tossed around and seriously injured in an accident. A child can also be seriously if a driver has to suddenly slam on the brakes.
To be approved for sale and use in Canada, infant car seats must pass Canadian safety standards. This includes infant car seats imported from the United States. When it comes to insurance coverage and infant car seats, infant car seats must meet Canadian safety standards. Depending on the insurance policy provider, in most cases they will cover damage sear, particularly if the driver has comprehensive coverage. An insurance company will likely not cover a claim involving an infant car seat if the seat does not meet Canada's safety standards.
In May, 2008, the Canadian Federal Government released a provisional order to amend the operations of the Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions Safety Regulations to make them consistent with amendments to the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213, Child Restraint Systems. This order was put into effect from May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009. It increases the weight limit for certain child restraint systems from 22 kg to 30 kg.
There are a number of things people can do to keep a child safe in a car seat that include: the seat should be suitable for the child's height and weight, do not position the child in front of an active air bag, and when installing the child car seat always follow the manufacturers directions. As well, it is important to secure the child using the proper techniques such as: use a forward-facing car seat with tether straps, the harness straps should be snug, children under 13 should be seated in the back seat, and it is safer to buy a brand new car seat instead of a second hand car seat. As well, make sure the car seat has a Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) sticker that has not expired or is not more than ten years old. It is important to always check the car seat for damage.
Infants require special care and protection when driving in a vehicle. In the event of a car accident, a properly installed infant car seat can save a baby's life. When installed correctly, a child car seat reduces the chances of injury or death by as much as 75 per cent. To find out if your infant car seat is covered under your policy, you should contact your insurance agent. The most important thing to remember about infant car seats is that they are mandatory because they save infant lives.
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