Child car seat safety is once again in the news.

As of January 1st, the state of California requires that children use car seats until they are either 8-years-old or 4’9″ tall. The previous requirement was 6 years or 60 pounds.

In BC, the laws are slightly stricter. Kids over 40lbs must use a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt until they are either 9 years old or 4’9″ , whichever comes first. See the RCMP website for all BC child safety seat regulations.

In other car seat news, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Graco Children’s Products. The Claim says that TurboBooster child car seats manufactured before late 2007/early 2008 have a design defect that can be a serious safety risk to a child in the event of a car crash. If you have a Graco car seat be sure to double check the manufacture date.

Here are some other things to consider for optimal car seat safety:

• Make sure the car seat has a Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) approval label.
• Check for an expiry date to make sure the car seat is not too old. If you’re close to the expiry date, it might be a good time to shop for a new one.
• Is there any visible damage or fraying to the car seat? Has it been involved in a previous collision? If so, time for an upgrade.

For More Information:

• Across California, Parents Face Collective Wail of ‘Big Kids’, the Wall Street Journal
• Graco TurboBooster class action commenced in Canada, Digital Journal

Related:

• New Developments in Child Car Seat Safety
• Choosing the Right Car Seat for Your Child