When it comes to your child’s safety, there is no cutting corners. Not only is this something all parents live by, but it is also the law! In Ontario, all drivers, including visitors, must ensure that their child, if under eight, is adequately secured. This includes the correct child car seat or booster seat. But how can you ensure your child is ready to transition from a car seat to a booster seat? How do you know when using only a seat belt is safe? For any new parent, this can be a tricky situation. Let’s review Ontario’s car seat laws and regulations below.
Ontario Car Seat Laws at a Glance
Ontario’s car seat laws are designed to help keep children safe at every stage of their growth:
Car Seat Stage | Requirements |
Rear-Facing Car Seat | Keep your child rear-facing until they reach the maximum height/weight limit set by the manufacturer. |
Forward-Facing Car Seat | Children can be moved to a forward facing seat with a harness, once they meet the manufacturer's requirements. |
Booster Seat | Generally required for children under 8 years old, between 40-60lbs, and under 145cm (4ft. 9in.) |
Seatbelt only | A child can legally use a regular seatbelt once they meet at least 8 years old, around 80lbs, or over 145cm (4ft. 9in.) |
The Four Stages of Child Car Restraints
When determining how your child should sit in your vehicle, consider dividing the process into three stages. Your child can graduate to the next stage when they reach a certain weight. Understanding each stage of protection for transporting your child is essential for taking them as safely as possible. There are three styles, or stages, of car restraints for kids:
Stage 1: Rear-Facing Car Seat
This position is safest for young kids as it supports their heads and necks. This support is crucial for younger children when you have to make a sudden stop. It’s also a legal requirement across Canada for all children, from birth until they reach a weight of at least 20 lbs.
Most jurisdictions have even more stringent requirements. Once your child reaches 20 lbs, they can graduate to the second stage: a forward-facing seat. However, experts recommend keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the maximum height or weight limits specified by the car seat manufacturer.
Stage 2: Forward-Facing Seat
The child is now in the same direction as the rest of the passengers. This type of car seat is equipped with a five-point harness. The minimum requirement for children to use a forward-facing car seat is when they weigh between 9kg and 18kg (20 lbs and 40 lbs). This type of seat installation must always be with the rear tether strap in use so that it doesn’t lift away from the car’s seat back in a crash. Your child can graduate to a booster seat once they reach certain parameters:
- Meet the booster seat manufacturer’s requirements
- Be over the age of 4
- Be mature enough to sit properly for the entire trip
- Your child weighs at least 40lbs
Stage 3: Booster Seat
A booster seat is similar to a car seat. However, it is used with the car’s built-in seat belt. It’s recommended to put this off as long as possible, waiting until your child weighs at least 40 lbs. This is because the seat is no longer effective at keeping your child safe at this stage.
Instead, the booster ensures that the seat belt follows the correct path and fits your child properly. Maturity is essential when using a booster seat. This is because a child must be able to sit correctly for the whole car ride, even if they fall asleep.
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Proper Fit for a Booster Seat
- The shoulder strap must sit squarely on the child’s shoulder, not climbing up onto the neck.
- The lap belt should fall low across the hips, not higher onto the torso.
- Most booster seats require your child to be consistently 40 lbs, 40″ tall, and at least four years old.
- It also requires a proper belt fit, which may not happen until the child is larger.
As a best practice, in addition to the car seat laws in Ontario, your child must be old enough to be responsible for their safety, as they need to sit in the correct position at all times, including while sleeping (generally ages 6+).
Benefits of a Booster Seat
A booster seat raises your child so that the adult seat belt works more effectively by correctly positioning the seat belt across the child’s body. Booster seats protect them against serious injury 3 ½ times better than seat belts alone. A lap-and-shoulder combination belt must be used with all booster seats.
The top of the booster seat, vehicle seat, or headrest must support your child’s head. The shoulder strap needs to be centred across the child’s collarbone, and the lap portion of the seat belt needs to be low on the child’s hips, touching the tops of their thighs. 30% of kids in booster seats do not meet the minimum 40lb requirement. This requirement must be met; otherwise, your seatbelt will not be effective!
Stage 4: Front Seat and Seat Belt
Children must meet the height and weight requirements to sit in the front seat. The main reason is airbags. Airbags protect adults in a crash but can be deadly for children. An airbag deploys at 210 km/h, and for a child who is not tall enough or heavy enough, this can cause head, neck, and spine injuries. Transport Canada says children under 13 should be in the back seat, where they have better protection from the front airbags. Even with the proper use of seatbelts, the force of an airbag can be too much for a child’s smaller and more fragile body.
Height and Weight Requirements in the Fourth Stage:
- At least 8 years old, or a weight of 80 pounds (36kg) and a height of 145 cm (4 feet, 9 inches).
- The seat belt should fit snugly across the hips and chest.
- The child should be able to bend their knees comfortably at the end of the car seat.
- The child should be able to sit upright and still throughout the car trip. If they can’t, they should remain in the booster seat even if they meet the age, height, and weight requirements for the front seat.
- Ontario law holds drivers responsible for the safety of children under 16.
- It’s recommended that the child stay in the back seat until age 13 to avoid the risks of active airbags.
It’s vital to ensure your child meets the height and weight requirements before sitting in the front seat. Airbags are lifesavers for adults but can be deadly for children if they deploy forcefully. Properly using booster seats and seatbelts will also increase safety, as ill-fitting seatbelts can fail to protect in an accident. Following these guidelines complies with Canadian laws and gives you peace of mind knowing your child is safe and secure on every drive.
Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe
To ensure your child’s protection while travelling in a motor vehicle, follow these tips to secure a child under the age of eight properly:
- Use the right car seat for the child’s height, weight, and development.
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and read your vehicle owner’s manual for correct child car seat installation and use.
- Secure the child correctly. Make sure the harness straps are flat and snug. Always use a tether strap with a forward-facing child car seat.
- Keep children away from all active front airbags. Children 12 years of age and under are safest in the back seat.
- Every child car seat and booster seat sold in Canada has an expiry date or applicable life date and should not be used if it has passed.
When Can a Child Legally Sit in the Front Seat in Ontario?
While Ontario law does not specify a minimum age for sitting in the front seat, Transport Canada and child safety experts recommend that children under 13 ride in the back seat whenever possible. The child must meet specific height and weight requirements. The child must weigh 36 kilograms (80 lbs.) or more and be 145cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall or taller.
It is important to note that age generally isn’t a factor in whether children can sit in the front seat. With this in mind, most children are considered safer in the back seat of a vehicle until age 13, even if they are legally allowed to sit in the front seat.
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Keep Your Family Protected on the Road
Transitioning from a car seat to a booster seat to a seat belt is a huge milestone in your child’s development, so don’t rush them into the next stage too quickly. Not only is it dangerous, but failing to properly secure a child under the age of eight can also result in a $240 fine and two demerit points if you’re caught. Adhere to recommendations regarding height, weight, and behaviour models to keep your child as safe as possible. Also, when purchasing a car seat, look for the National Safety Mark label.
This means the seat and manufacturer meet government safety guidelines. While you do not need to register the individual seat with a governing body, you should register with the manufacturer so that you are notified of any recalls.
While you’re at it, consider whether or not your car insurance still meets your needs. If not, why not check out isure? We offer some of the best premiums on the market, along with customer service you can always count on. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today!
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