No. H 137/07
For release July 9, 2007
OTTAWA — The season for fun family road trips is here again and Transport Canada would like to take this opportunity to remind travellers to buckle up and to make sure that your children are safely fastened.
Did you know that wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of being ejected from a vehicle and suffering serious or fatal injury by 40 to 65 per cent?
These few simple road safety tips will help make travelling this summer safer and more enjoyable for everyone. Before you head out on a road trip, take a moment to review them:
Wear your seat belt. Almost two out of every five vehicle occupants killed in 2005 were not wearing a seat belt. So whether you're a driver or passenger, buckle up.
When worn correctly, seat belts save lives. Lap belts should be kept low and snug over the hips, while shoulder belts should always be worn across the chest. To view video footage that demonstrates the benefits of wearing seat belts correctly, go to:
www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/nat/2007/07-h137e.htm#video
Secure your child correctly. Properly installing the right size car seat for your child's weight and height provides critical protection for your child in a collision.
Did you know that a child secured in a correctly used safety seat is 2.7 times more likely to survive a collision without serious injury than an unrestrained child?
Child restraint systems have been designed and tested to provide effective protection for your child in a collision, as long as you do your part to make sure your children are safely secured. That means properly installing the right size car seat for your child's weight and height, and carefully following the instructions from both the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer.
Booster seats are effective for children who have outgrown their forward-facing seat. Booster seats raise the child and provide a more comfortable ride while correctly positioning the vehicle's seat belt over the child's body.
Now, buckle up, drive safely and enjoy the ride!
If you have any questions or concerns about children's car seats, or any other motor vehicle safety issue, simply call Transport Canada's Road Safety Information Centre at 1-800-333-0371 (toll-free in Canada) or visit our website at www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety.
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Contact:
Jessie Chauhan
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
Seat Belt Safety: Demonstration Video
The sled test represents a collision of the front of a car travelling 80 km/h.
There are three dummies of children seated in the rear seat. Two dummies represent an average six year-old child, and one represents a three year-old child.
Only one dummy is correctly belted in an age appropriate child seat booster. This child does very well in the crash. His head and chest are well protected. The seat belt stays in place as it should.
The dummy representing the three year-old child in the middle position is not wearing a belt. He gets thrown into the front compartment and would likely have serious head and chest injuries.
The third dummy is seated with the shoulder belt behind his back, which is a common mistake. During the crash, the belt is not in place to hold the upper body in place so his head strikes the seat in front of him and the lap belt cinches the soft abdomen. This child would likely have serious liver and spleen injuries as well as torn intestines.
To order broadcast quality footage of this seat belt safety demonstration:
See Video Here
Contact:
Transport Canada
613-993-0055
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