When I was young there was no such thing as a booster seat. We thought nothing of throwing a mattress in the back of the station wagon, loading up my brother and sisters and heading off on holidays. We would sprawl on that mattress reading comic books or playing games.
Sometimes we even fought over whose turn it was to be in the back.
Today's Attitudes About Child Restraints
Fast forward to the current day and no self respecting parent would consider doing this. Each child from day one to age nine (or 145 cm in height) has to have their own specially designed child restraint to hold them safely and protect them if they are involved in a crash.
We all know that children and airbags don't mix either and we have carefully read the owner's manual for the seats and our vehicle so we know exactly what is correct and what will harm.
Exception for the Booster Seat
However, did you know that in one specific condition, you could be ticketed for putting a child in a booster seat? Booster seats are designed for use with a lap and shoulder belt combination. If your vehicle has only a lap belt for a seating position, it really isn't a good place for a child that fits the booster seat requirements, with or without it.
Minimizing the Harm
It will cause less harm to that child during a collision if they are restrained using only the lap belt. In fact, our new law forbids using a booster seat with only a lap belt.
The Law in B.C.:
36.06(3) Despite subsection (1), if none of the available seat belt assemblies in the vehicle have an upper torso restraint, other than the driver's seat belt assembly, then a child referred to in subsection (1) must be fastened without a booster seat using a seat belt assembly with a pelvic restraint.
Learn More
- Car Time - Stage 3: Safe Travel in a Booster Seat
- Car Time - Stage 4: Safe Travel in a Seat Belt
- Parachute Canada - Booster Seats
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