Parents often turn to local social media groups with the same question: Is my child’s car seat installed correctly? A town just north of Airdrie offers a free opportunity to get expert guidance today.
On Friday afternoon, Didsbury will host a car seat safety clinic at the Didsbury Fire Hall from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Certified child passenger safety technicians from CarSeat Connection and the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada (CPSAC) will be on hand to check car seats, answer questions, and help ensure children are safely secured.
The service is free, but appointments are recommended and can be booked online. Drop-ins will be accepted as space allows.
Alberta Car Seat Laws: What Parents Need to Know
Under Alberta law, drivers must ensure children under 16 are properly restrained. The law specifically requires that:
- Rear-facing seats: Infants must ride in a rear-facing car seat until at least age two or until they reach the seat’s height/weight limit. Rear-facing seats protect the child’s head, neck, and spine by distributing crash forces across the strongest parts of their body.
- Forward-facing seats: Required for children under six years old or 18 kg (40 lbs). These seats use a five-point harness to secure the child’s upper body and reduce forward movement in a crash.
- Booster seats: Alberta does not require booster seats by law, but they are highly recommended for children over six years old or 18 kg (40 lbs) until they can properly fit a seatbelt. Booster seats ensure that seat belts sit across the strongest parts of a child's body—the chest and hips—rather than the neck and stomach.
- Seat belts: A child is ready to use a seat belt alone when they are at least 145 cm (4'9") tall and can sit with their back against the seat, knees bending naturally over the edge. The lap belt should rest across the hips, and the shoulder belt should sit mid-chest and mid-shoulder—not on the neck.
Misuse Rates and Safety Risks
The Government of Alberta reports that car seat misuse rates are alarmingly high—between 44 per cent and 81 per cent for car seats and 30 per cent to 50 per cent for booster seats. Improper installation or use significantly increases the risk of serious injury or death in a crash.
- Correct use of a car seat reduces the risk of injury by up to 82 per cent and the risk of death by up to 71 per cent.
- In Canada, children under nine years old are the most likely age group to be seriously injured or killed in vehicle crashes.
- A properly installed rear-facing car seat can reduce crash forces by more than 70 per cent, compared to an unrestrained child.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com. You can also message and follow us on Twitter: @AIR1061FM.
DiscoverAirdrie encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverAirdrie app.