Everything You Need to Know about Car Seats

Cruising in the car with your kid can only be done safely if they're in the proper seat. Whether they're a first-time rider and you aren't sure which seat is right, or they've grown a lot and you're wondering if it's time to size up, don't worry—we've done all the research for you.

Before we get into car seat guidelines, installation and a couple of must-knows, we'll go through each of the four stages and seat positions of car seat use, determined by the age and weight of the child. The four stages are: rear-facing seat, forward-facing seat, booster seat and seat belt.

Rear-Facing Car Seat

Who's riding?

Babies who weigh less than 22 lb. (10 kg) should always ride in a rear-facing seat designed for infants. Most seats accommodate little ones as small as four or five pounds and come with removable padding to help secure them safely.

Safest Use

Infant seats for newborns must be tilted back as far as the seat allows (approximately 45 degrees—use the seat’s levelling guide for reference) and installed in the back seat, ideally in the centre position if it installs well there, says Jen Shapka, an instructor-trainer with the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada, but see how your family uses the vehicle. “A properly installed seat on the side is safe, and if you have more than one child, the centre position often isn’t practical or possible.” Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level and the harness is snug on her shoulders, so no excess strap can be pinched horizontally at the collarbone. See the manufacturer’s instructions for the approved positioning of the car seat handle.

Next steps

Laws vary, requiring babies to be at least 20 lb. (9 kg) and, in some places, also a year old and walking unassisted, before switching to forward facing. But don’t rush the transition. Experts recommend keeping kids in a rear-facing position as long as possible; as it distributes the impact in case of a collision, better protecting the head, neck and spine. Once she hits the height or weight limit of her infant seat, upgrade to a rear-facing toddler seat (that converts to forward facing) with higher height and weight restrictions. Some go up to 50 lb. (22.6 kg).

Forward-facing car seat

Who's riding?

Toddlers should remain rear facing for as long as possible. It’s time to turn kids around when they reach the height or weight limits of their seat. At this point, they’re ready for a forward-facing seat with a harness, which will see them through their preschool years.

Safest Use

According to Transport Canada guidelines, forward-facing seats are installed with a tether strap attached to an anchor point that’s approved by the car manufacturer, and a universal anchorage system (UAS) belt or seat belt (and locking clip, if necessary, according to car manufacturer’s guidelines). The seat-belt method must be used once the combined weight of your child and the seat exceed 65 lb. (30 kg). Buckle him into the harness the same way as in the rear-facing seat, with the chest clip at armpit height and no excess webbing at the collarbone, straps positioned at or just above the shoulders. Make sure the back of the seat extends up past his ears.

Next Steps

Again, don’t rush. Kids must stay in this style of seat until they’re at least 40 lb. (18 kg), but many seats accommodate kids up to 65 lb. (30 kg). Use this seat until he reaches the height or weight limit, but delay the move to a booster until he’s developmentally ready.

Booster seat

Who's riding?

Children about seven to eight years of age.

Even if they’ve met the guidelines, kids need to be mature enough for this upgrade. Ensure she can sit properly in the seat (without pushing the shoulder belt off to reach for toys). Many kids can’t do this until they’re five or six, so if she’s outgrown her harnessed seat but isn’t mature enough for a booster, shop for a taller, higher-weight harnessed seat for the interim.

Safest use

High-back boosters support kids’ heads if they nod off and provide a better fit for the shoulder belt. The lap portion should lie flat across the hips, not the belly (which decreases the risk of internal injuries in a crash). The shoulder belt should sit across her collarbone without pinching her neck or sliding down.

Next steps

Stick with the booster until she’s big enough to sit properly unassisted. You may face some resistance from your child if she starts to feel self-conscious around kids in the carpool who are no longer using boosters. A backless booster in a favourite colour might help.

Seat Belt

Who's riding

Children around eight years and up.

Once kids reach either eight years, 80 lb. (36 kg) or 4’9,” they’re deemed ready by law to move out of the booster seat in most regions. But experts say that of the three, height is the best indicator of readiness. (The guideline is nine or ten years old in some provinces, but there is no legislation in several parts of the country.)

Safest Use

According to Transport Canada, kids should also be able to sit up against the back of the seat with their legs bent comfortably over the edge at a 90-degree angle. The shoulder belt should lie flat over his collarbone without pushing against his neck or face, and it should never be tucked behind his back or under his arm. The lap belt should be secured over his hips, not his stomach. Once he meets all of these criteria and can sit like this for an entire car trip, he’s ready to ride without the booster.

Next Steps

Kids older than 12 can sit up front, but according to safety experts, the back seat remains the safest place for pre-teens.

Tip: Front seat airbags can hurt small children if they inflate during a crash or sudden stop. The safest place for kids is always in the back seat. —Transport Canada

Installation 101

There’s more than one safe way to install a car seat. You can use the universal anchorage system (UAS), if your car has it, or a seat belt (with the addition of a locking clip if your belts don’t have a locking feature). Consult your car’s manual and the child-seat user manual to figure out which method is best. The ideal spot for a child seat is in the middle of the back seat. Once you have positioned the seat, place your knee in the middle of the seat and use your body weight to fully tighten the straps. When you’re finished, it shouldn’t budge more than an inch in any direction at the belt path.

Car seat safety must knows

Crash test

According to Transport Canada, your child’s car seat should be replaced if it is in a vehicle that has been in a collision—it’s even an insurance requirement for some companies.

Using a pre-owned seat

Hand-me-downs are are both environmentally friendly and cost-efficient, so we support the use of a previously owned car or booster seat as long as you check a couple things first. Before your child sits in a pre-owned seat, we recommend that you follow this list of criteria:

• Check for any recalls/notices
  • If the child car seat is on the recalls/notices list, contact the manufacturer to learn what to do
• Open and close the buckle to make sure that it latches and unlatches
• Try adjusting the harness to make sure that you can tighten and loosen it
• Open and close the chest clip to make sure it closes easily and remains closed

Tip: You should register your child car seat or booster seat with the manufacturer.

Car seat recalls

Transport Canada publishes safety alerts and notices for child car seats. These notices will inform you of any safety defects with your child car seat or if it doesn't comply with safety standards.