Astral Radio Hamilton has teamed up with snugglebugz.ca to support the McMaster Children’s Hospital’s Booster Seat Campaign. This joint venture with Hamilton Police Services and Hamilton Public Health is a community safety campaign promoting the correct use of booster seats for children.

Shelly Marriage, Morning Traffic Specialist, and mom of 4 year old Lucy spoke with the experts to help provide you with some valuable information and advice to keep all kids safe. Check out the videos below.

Give them a boost.  It’s the law! 

Children 4 to 8 years of age, under 4’9” and between 40 to 80 lb. who do not use a booster seat and rely on a seat belt alone, are at risk of serious in Injuries

A poor fitting seat belt that doesn’t sit across the hips and chest, but rather the neck and stomach can cause serious injuries during a car collision.

The child’s neck and stomach will then take the force of the collision causing severe injuries such as bowel perforation and spinal fractures.

Many children of this age group are using a seat belt too early in their development.

They may look big enough to sit like an adult, but the booster seat provides a little lift to ensure the seat belt fits the child properly.

When it comes to protecting our children, you can never be too safe.

Seat belts save lives, but booster seats save more.

 
Hamilton Police Service
A/Sgt. Claus Wagner #761
Support Services
Traffic Safety and Centralized Breath Testing Coordinator
Drug Recognition Expert

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in children in Canada under 14.

In September 2005 the use of Booster seats became the law in Ontario.Children experience the greatest risk of severe injury due to the improper use of seat belts.

Booster seats help to protect children from injury in a crash because it raises them up to give a proper fitting seat belt.

Yet only 30 per cent of these Canadian children are using booster seats, despite existing laws.

Transportation laws allow police to enforce a penalty when:

• Drivers fail to ensure infant/child passengers are properly secured in an appropriate child restraint or booster seat can be charged 2 demerit points – staying on their driving record for two years from the offense date.

Encourage all parents and guardian to give your child a boost. Keep them safe and put them in a booster seat.

And remember booster seats are the law because they save lives.

 
City of Hamilton Public Health Services
Carol Fedoryshyn
Public Health Nurse, Child Safety, 0-6 years
Family Health Division 

Booster seats protect against serious injury 3 ½ times better than seatbelts alone.

Booster seats are required for children:

• under the age of eight
• weighing 18 kg or more but less than 36 kg (40-80 lb.)
• and who stand less than 145 cm (4 feet-9 inches) tall.

Booster seats raise the child up so that the adult seatbelt works more effectively.

A lap and shoulder combination belt must be used with all booster seats.

Your child's head must be supported by the top of the booster, vehicle seat or headrest.

The shoulder strap must lie across the child's shoulder (not the neck or face) and middle of the chest, and the lap belt must cross low over the hips (not the stomach/abdomen).

Never use seatbelt adjusters.

Important tips to keep your child safe and secure…

• Use the right seat for the child's height and weight.
• Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for correct child car seat installation and use.
• Be sure to secure the child correctly.
• Make sure harness straps are snug and tight.
• Keep children away from all active air bags.
• Children under 13 years of age are safest in the back seat.

Use caution when buying or using a pre-owned child car seat. Buy new, or from someone you know, and check it carefully. Make sure the car seat has:

• instructions and all necessary hardware
• not been in a collision
• a Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) sticker
• not expired or is not older than 10 years
• no discoloured (stress) marks or cracks and the harness is not worn or torn.

 
Snugglebugz.ca - Canada's Baby Store
Ben Burmaster
Snuggle Bugz Burlington - 3245 Fairview St
Snuggle Bugz Milton - 1160 Steeles Ave. East
Click here to get a coupon