Child car seat (AUTO123.COM)
New child car seat safety rules come into effect today, including higher weight limits for infants.
The updated regulations are part of the most up-to-date technology available for testing. The updates are similar to those in the United States and incorporate specific Canadian testing requirements.
Major changes include:
- A new testing requirement using a three-point seatbelt to secure car seats in vehicles;
- Changes to child seats’ dynamic testing to adopt most of the U.S. testing parameters;
- Changing the definition of an infant from 9 kg to 10 kg;
- An increase in the maximum allowable weight limit of child seats from 22 kg to 30 kg;
- Introducing dynamic testing requirements for booster seats; and
- allowing harnesses to be certified for use on school buses by special needs children.
There is no need to replace a current child seat due to the changes, federal government officials said. However, parents should check the expiry date of their current seat and be sure to replace it when it reaches that date.
Manitoba Public Insurance offers free child car seat inspections throughout the province by technicians who are nationally certified through St. John Ambulance. The inspections are part of the Manitoba Child Car Seat Program.
