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Transport Canada
Disclaimer: These documents are not the official versions (more). Standard 213.4

MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT

Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations

Standard 213.4

SOR/94-669



Built-in Child Restraint Systems and Built-in
Booster Cushions

213.4 (1) Every built-in child restraint system and built-in booster cushion, when tested in accordance with Motor Vehicle Test Methods, Section 213.4, "Built-in Child Restraint System and Built-in Booster Cushion" (October 15, 1993) in any of the positions that the system, cushion, or vehicle seat can be used while the vehicle is in motion, shall,

(a) exhibit no complete separation of any load bearing structural element and no partial separation exposing either surfaces that have a radius of less than 6.4 mm (1/4 inch) or surfaces that have protrusions greater than 9.5 mm (3/8 inch) above the immediate adjacent surrounding contactable surface of any structural element of the system;

(b) remain in the same adjustment position during the testing as it was immediately before the testing began, where the system is adjustable to different positions; and

(c) be constructed only of materials that conform to the requirements of section 302.

(2) Every built-in child restraint system when tested in accordance with subsection (1) shall, subject to subsection (6), provide restraint against rearward movement of the head of the child by means of a continuous seat back that is an integral part

of the system and that has

a) a height, measured along the system seat back surface for the child in the vertical longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal centre line of the child restraint system from the lowest point on the system seating surface that is contactable by the buttocks of the seated anthropometric test device, of at least 500 mm (20 inches); and

(b) a width of not less than 200 mm (8 inches), measured in the horizontal plane at the height of 500 mm (20 inches) specified in paragraph (a).

(3) Every built-in rear facing child restraint system, when tested in accordance with subsection (1) shall

(a) not allow the angle between the system's back support surface and the vertical to exceed 70 at any time during impact simulation; and

(b) retain all portions of the anthropometric test device within the system so that no portion of the target point on either side of the device's head passes through the transverse orthogonal planes whose intersection contains the forward-most and top-most points on the built-in child restraint system surfaces.

(4) Every built-in booster cushion, when tested in accordance with subsection (1) shall

(a) subject to subsection (6), provide restraint against rearward movement of the head of the child by means of a continuous seat back that is an integral part of the cushion and that

(i) has a height, measured along the cushion seat back surface in the vertical longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal centre line of the cushion from the lowest point on the cushion seating surface that is contactable by the buttocks of the seated anthropometric test device, of at least 560 mm (22 inches), and

(ii) has a width of not less than 200 mm (8 inches), measured in the horizontal plane at the height of 560 mm (22 inches) specified in subparagraph (i); and

(b) limit to no more than 305 mm (12 inches) from the initial position the distance either knee pivot can extend in the forward longitudinal direction.

(5) Every front-facing built-in child restraint system and built-in booster cushion, when tested in accordance with subsection (1), shall

(a) not allow the angle between the system's or cushion's back support surface and the system's or cushion's seating surface to be less than 45 at the completion of the test;

(b) limit the resultant acceleration at the location of the accelerometer mounted in the anthropometric test device upper thorax to not more than 60 g, except for intervals of acceleration the cumulative duration of which is not more than 3 ms;

(c) limit to not more than 80 g the maximum resultant acceleration of the centre of gravity of the head of the anthropometric test device during forward movement, except where it has been established that the maximum resultant acceleration above 80 g is caused by another part of the anthropometric test device striking its head; and

(d) subject to subsection (6), provide restraint against rearward movement of the head of the child by means of a continuous seat back that is an integral part of the system and that limits the rearward rotation of the anthropometric test device's head so that the angle between the head and the torso is at no time during the impact testing greater than 45° as compared to the head-torso angle prior to the test.

(6) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (2)(a), a built-in child restraint system with side supports extending at least 100 mm (4 inches) forward from the padded surface of the portion of the restraint system provided for support of the child's head shall have a width of not less than 150 mm (6 inches), measured in the horizontal plane at the height of 500 mm (20 inches).

(7) Every built-in child restraint system shall provide a surface for the support of the child's back that has a continuous surface area of not less than 54 800 mm2 (85 square inches).

(8) Where a built-in child restraint system provides surfaces for the support of the child's torso, these surfaces shall have a continuous surface area of not less than 15 250 mm2 (24 square inches) for each surface.

(9) Except for surfaces designed to restrain a child, no built-in child restraint system shall have a fixed or movable surface that

(a) is directly in front of the child; or

(b) may come into contact with the child when the system is in use.

(10) Each horizontal cross-section of each built-in child restraint system surface that is designed to restrain forward movement of the child's torso shall be flat or concave and each vertical longitudinal cross-section shall be flat or convex with a radius of curvature of the underlying structure of not less than 50 mm (2 inches).

(11) No portion of a rigid structural component within or underlying a contactable surface of a built-in child restraint system or a built-in booster cushion shall, with any padding or other flexible overlay material removed, have a height of more than 9.5 mm (3/8 inch) above any immediately adjacent restraint system surface or any exposed edge with a radius of less than 6.4 mm (1/4 inch).

(12) The webbing of belts that are provided with a built-in child restraint system and used to restrain a child within the system shall

(a) after being subjected to abrasion as specified in Motor Vehicle Safety Test Methods, Section 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies" (February 27, 1984), have a breaking strength of not less than 75% of the strength of the unabraded webbing;

(b) meet the requirements of paragraphs 209(7)(h) to (k); and

(c) if contactable by the anthropometric test device torso when the system is tested dynamically, have a width of not less than 38 mm (1 1/2 inches) when measured as specified in Motor Vehicle Safety Test Methods, Section 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies" (February 27, 1984).

(13) Every belt buckle and item of belt adjustment hardware used in a built-in child restraint system shall conform to the requirements of subsections 209(12), (17), (19) and (22).

(14) Any buckle of a built-in child restraint system belt assembly that is designed to restrain a child shall in accordance with Motor Vehicle Safety Test Methods, Section 213.4, "Built-in Child Restraint System and Built-in Booster Cushion" (October 15, 1993),

(a) before dynamic testing,

(i) not release when a force of less than 40 N (9 pounds) is applied, and

(ii) release where a force of 40 N (9 pounds) to 62 N (14 pounds) is applied;

(b) after dynamic testing, release where a force of not more than 71 N (16 pounds) is applied; and

(c) have a push button to be used for applying the release force with a minimum surface area of 385 mm2 (0.6 square inch) and with a minimum linear dimension of 10 mm (0.4 inch).

(15) Every belt that is part of a built-in child restraint system and that is designed to restrain the child

(a) shall be adjustable to snugly fit any child whose height and weight are within the ranges recommended in accordance with paragraph (17)(a) and who is positioned in the system in accordance with the instructions required by subsection (19); and

(b) shall not, when tested in accordance with Motor Vehicle Safety Test Methods, Section 213.4, "Built-in Child Restraint System and Built-in Booster Cushion" (October 15, 1993), impose on the child any loads that result from the mass of the system, or from the mass of any part of the vehicle into which the child restraint system is built.

(16) Every built-in child restraint system shall, when the anthropometric test device is positioned in accordance with Motor Vehicle Safety Test Method, Section 213.4, "Built-in Child Restraint System and Built-in Booster Cushion" (October 15, 1993), provide

(a) upper torso restraint in the form of

(i) belts passing over each shoulder of the anthropometric test device,

(ii) a fixed or movable surface that complies with subsection (10), or

(iii) in the case of a rear-facing child restraint system, a single diagonal belt passing over one shoulder or belts passing over each shoulder or the anthropometric test device;

(b) lower torso restraint in the form of

(i) a lap belt assembly making an angle between 45° and 90° with the built-in child restraint system seating surface at the lap belt attachment points, or

(ii) a fixed or movable surface that complies with subsection (10); and

(c) if a front-facing built-in child restraint system, crotch restraint in the form of

(i) a crotch belt connectable to the lap belt or other device used to restrain the lower torso, or

(ii) a fixed or movable surface that complies with subsection (10).

(17) Every built-in child restraint system and built-in booster cushion shall have indelibly printed on them, or otherwise permanently affixed to them, a label in both English and French, in a prominent location in letters and numerals of not less than 10 point and on a contrasting background,

(a) a statement indicating the recommended range of weights and heights for which children can safely use the restraint;

(b) a statement warning that failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the use of the system or the cushion can result in the child striking the vehicle's interior during a sudden stop or crash;

(c) in the case of a built-in restraint system that has belts designed to restrain the child, a statement to adjust snugly the belts provided with the system around the child; and

(d) in the case of a rear-facing built-in child restraint system, a statement indicating that the child be placed in the rear-facing position.

(18) The recommended weight and height referred to in paragraph (17)(a) shall be expressed in both metric and imperial measurements with the metric measurements stated first, followed by the imperial measurements in parentheses.

(19) Every built-in child restraint system and built-in booster cushion shall be accompanied by printed instructions in both English and French that provide a step-by-step procedure, including appropriate diagrams, for using the built-in child restraint system or built-in booster cushion, for positioning a child in the system or on the cushion, for adjusting the belts provided and, where applicable, for adjusting the restraint harness to fit the child.

(20) The instructions referred to in subsection (19) shall

(a) explain the immediate consequences of not following the instructions for proper use of the child restraint system in accordance with subsections (17) and (19); and

(b) in the case of a seat with a built-in child restraint system or built-in booster cushion that is removable from the vehicle by means of a latch mechanism, state that the system or cushion, or the vehicle seat, or both, should be securely latched to the vehicle whether occupied or not.

Established by

SOR/94-669 25 October, 1994 pursuant to sections 4 and 7 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, effective April 25 1995


Last updated: 2005-08-17 Top of Page Important Notices