By Anjum Choudhry Nayyar
Do you remember the days when there were no car seats? I do. In fact I remember growing up squished into our first car, a K-car with several family members.
I don’t remember my mom lugging around infant car seats that snapped into strollers or her ever learning how to ‘buckle’ us in. Times have changed.
And with all the running around from activity to activity that us moms have to do, we’re not only having to harness our kids into carseats, but more importantly we know we never just install a carseat into a car once.
In fact, parents are still making mistakes. Misuse rates range from 44 per cent to 81 per cent for car seats and 30 per cent to 50 per cent for booster seats. But a properly used child seat or child restraint system (CRS) reduces the risk of fatal injury by 71 per cent and risk of serious injury by 67 per cent.
That’s why it’s important to get a refresher when you can. I did just that at the recent Chevrolet Canada Safe and Sure launch.
Here are few other quick facts that might surprise you:
- car seats have an expiry date. If it is not listed on the label or the car seat itself, you can call your manufacturer directly to get the expiry date for your model;
- do not use a seat that has been in a crash even if there is no visible damage. Know the history of your car seat because a crash can compromise the integrity of the seat in ways that are not visible;
- children should not be rushed out of a booster seat as the booster seat works to position the adult seat-belt over the strong bones of the body. Check your provincial laws regarding when it is time to move your child out of a booster seat. Even if your child reaches the minimum requirement to move out of a booster seat, we recommend that the child stay in a booster seat until they are 145cm tall to ensure that the belt fits them properly.
– See more at: http://www.parachutecanada.org/blog/item/chevrolet-safe-and-sure-car-seat-installation-workshop-program-launches#sthash.u7SJj1ma.dpuf Chevrolet Canada has recently launched a new national Safe and Sure Child Car Seat Installation Workshop Program to give you the tools to keep kids safe and learn best practices on proper car seat safety procedures.
The program will provide free Car Seat Installation Workshops at Chevrolet dealerships in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Masalamommas recently attended the launch of the program in Toronto, here are the video highlights!
DID YOU KNOW?
- Car seats have an expiry date. If it is not listed on the label or the car seat itself, you can call your manufacturer directly to get the expiry date for your model.
- Do not use a seat that has been in a crash even if there is no visible damage. Know the history of your car seat because a crash can compromise the integrity of the seat in ways that are not visible.
- Children should not be rushed out of a booster seat as the booster seat works to position the adult seat-belt over the strong bones of the body. Check your provincial laws regarding when it is time to move your child out of a booster seat. Even if your child reaches the minimum requirement to move out of a booster seat, we recommend that the child stay in a booster seat until they are 145cm tall to ensure that the belt fits them properly.
With just one click of a mouse, you can register online for a free consultation at www.safeandsure.ca.
The program will offer families expert advice on installing car seats into any make or model of vehicle for free.
- Sessions will begin at Chevrolet dealerships in Vancouver and Toronto in April 2014. Dealerships in Montreal will begin offering the workshops in late spring 2014.
“Safety has always been a priority for Chevrolet,” says Natalie Nankil, Public Relations Manager, Chevrolet.
“Knowing that car seat safety has become such a concern, and that parents are looking for know-how and support, Chevrolet decided to help all drivers with the new Safe and Sure program.”Chevrolet’s car seat installation workshops were piloted in Toronto during 2012 and 2013.
The workshops received such overwhelmingly positive response from parents, grandparents, expectant parents and caregivers that Chevrolet is working with Parachute to now offer this program in three major cities.
More info on the program can be seen here:
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