Car Time
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TP 14338F
ISBN 0-662-39340-6
Cat. T46-29/2-2005
Revised March 2006
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A forward-facing child seat will spread the forces of a sudden stop or a crash over the strongest parts of your child’s body. Use a forward-facing child seat
that fits your child’s weight and height. |
When to use a forward-facing child seat
Before you make the change to a forward-facing child seat, ask these
questions:
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- Is your child too heavy or too tall for your rear-facing infant seat? There
may be another rear-facing seat that will fit your child.
- Does your child still fit within the weight and height given on the label for your
rear-facing infant/child seat? You may be able to continue using the rear-facing infant seat until your child outgrows it.
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If you use a forward-facing child seat too soon, your child could be hurt during a sudden
stop or a crash. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
See Car Time – Stage 1 for information on seats for rear-facing use. |
Choosing a forward-facing child seat
An infant/child seat or an infant/child/booster seat can be used as a rear-facing infant seat then
later used as a forward-facing child seat. Check the instructions for the weight and height limits
and how to convert from rear-facing use to forward-facing use.
See Car Time – Stage 1 for more information about rear-facing infant seats.
A child/booster seat can be used as a forward facing child seat then used as a booster seat later
when the child reaches that stage. Check the instructions for the weight and height limits and how to use it as a child seat.
See Car Time –Stage 3 for more information about booster
seats. Before you choose a child seat:
- Weigh your child.
- Measure your child’s height.
- Check the label on the child seat to be sure the seat will fit your child’s weight and height.
- Make sure the child seat fits well in the back seat of your vehicle.
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Securing your child in a forward-facing child seat
- Read the instructions for the forward-facing child seat to help you use it correctly.
- Install the harness straps using the slot positions that are at or slightly above your
child’s shoulders.
- Make sure the harness straps are fastened tightly to hold your child in the seat.
“Tightly” means only one finger fits between the harness strap and your child at the chest.
- The chest clip should be positioned at the armpit level to hold the harness straps in
place
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Items not provided by the car seat manufacturer such as liners,
trays, or comfort straps may interfere with the safety of the seat. Check with the car seat
manufacturer before using these products with the car seat. |
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Installing a forward-facing child
seat
- Read the car seat instructions and the instructions in the vehicle owner’s manual
to learn how to install a forward-facing child seat.
- Install a forward-facing child seat in the back seat of the vehicle. Children 12 and
under need to ride in the back seat away from the front-seat air bags.
- If your vehicle has side air bags, see the Transport Canada fact sheet on
How to
Protect Children in Vehicles with Side Air Bags.
- Install a child seat using a tether strap and a seat belt or using a tether strap and the
Universal Anchorage System (UAS).
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Installing with a seat belt
- Thread the seat belt webbing through the child seat as shown in the instructions.
- Buckle the seat belt and make sure it is tight. The seat belt keeps your child seat in place in
the vehicle.
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- When you install the child seat, use your knee to push down on the child seat at the same time
you tighten the seat belt.
- Attach the tether strap to hold the top of the child seat in place and tighten the strap.
- The child seat should not move more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) from side to side or forward.
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With some vehicles, you will need to use a locking
clip with the seat belt to install a forward-facing child seat securely in place.
Read the vehicle instructions for installing car seats. |
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When to replace a forward-facing child seat
- If there was a crash and the child seat was in the car at the time. You should do this even if
your child was not riding in the seat during the crash.
- When it has reached the expiry date.
- If there is no expiry date, replace a seat that is ten years old.
Fill out and mail the registration card that comes with your child’s car seat. If there is a recall, the
company will be able to contact you.
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Contact Us:
For questions about your car seat, please contact the manufacturer. For more information or to order more copies of this publication,
contact:
Transport Canada at:
1-800-333-0371, by email: roadsafetywebmail@tc.gc.ca
Health Canada at:
(613) 952-1014, by fax: (613) 941-4376 or by email: cps-spc@hc-sc.gc.ca
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You can also download "Car Time - Stage 2: Safe Travel in a Forward-facing Child Seat"
(PDF
format, 77Kb).
To view PDF documents you must use Adobe® Acrobat Reader. Visit the
Adobe site to download the latest, free version.
If you need an alternative format or for more information, please contact us by e-mail at
RoadSafetyWebMail@tc.gc.ca
or call toll free 1-800-333-0371 (Ottawa area (613) 998-8616).
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