Car Seat Safety Installation Instruction a Definite Need

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children under 14 years of age. Therefore, children's safety while travelling in a motor vehicle is a Health Unit priority. The motor vehicle collision rate is significantly higher in the tri-county areas than as compared to the rest of Ontario.

The Health Unit has worked with a variety of community partners in the tri-county such as the police and the Canadian Automobile Association to assist in educating parents and caregivers about the importance of the correct use of child car seats.

In 1999, five car seat clinics were held throughout the tri-county. Public Health Nurses, along with other trained community partners and volunteers inspected 228 car seats. Only 17 car seats were used and installed correctly. The purpose of the car seat clinic was to help parents, grandparents, and caregivers properly install and use their car seats. The clinics also helped to make adults aware of safety hazards inside their vehicles.
Car seat safety information is also given out in prenatal classes, Well Baby/Baby Talk groups, and during the 48-hour phone call or home visit by a Public Health Nurse after a baby is born.

The Health Unit held five car seat inspector-training sessions where 40 volunteers were trained to check for the correct use and installation of child car seats.

With these initiatives, the Health Unit expects to see an increase in the number of child car restraints installed correctly and a reduction in the number of injuries and deaths among children as a result of motor vehicle collisions.