Loose-fitting harnesses are the most common error drivers are making with child car seat usage, local police have found.
“Parent’s don’t seem to want to make them too tight,” explained constable Angie Stiles at a car seat education and information session hosted by the Wellington OPP and Mapleton firefighters at the Drayton fire station on June 13.
Stiles says parents may be leaving the straps which hold their children into the seats loose to accommodate bulky winter coats, or to avoid chafing on hot summer days.
However the results can be disastrous, as a child can easily come out of a seat with a loose harness in a crash.
The information session, and a similar event in Rockwood on June 14, was part of a pilot project called “Wee Can Help! Car seat advice and tips for your Wee ones.”
“I’m getting a lot of calls. A lot of parents seem to have questions about car seats,” said Stiles, who explained the emphasis of the program is on information, not inspection. Information on car seat clinics that include inspections was also provided at the event.
“We’re trying to empower parents to take control of the car seat and their children’s safety,” Stiles added.
Car seat information
Further information on car seat safety can be found on the Ministry of Transportation website at www.mto.gov.on.ca.
