Poll: Canadian parents support booster seat law, but few use them
A new survey of Canadian motorists indicates that drivers may not be practicing what they preach.
According to a poll conducted by safety advocacy group Safe Kids Canada, most parents are in favour of Canadian officials requiring a booster seat by law, but few parents with young children have a seat installed.
The poll found that approximately four out of five households – 78 percent – support making booster seats mandatory, but only 30 percent of Canadian children ride in one, according to Transport Canada.
"Parents need to know that although seatbelts are an effective safety device, they are designed for adult bodies and not young children," said Pamela Fuselli, Executive Director of Safe Kids Canada. "The solution is simple – if your child has outgrown their forward-facing car seat and is under four feet nine inches or 145 centimetres tall, put them in a booster seat. It could save their life."
Auto insurance companies often provide reviews of which child seats have the best safety ratings. Parents who don’t already have one should seriously consider installing one for their child because, according to Safe Kids Canada, booster seats reduce the risk of injury by 60 percent.