“Re: Mdieker - Booster Seat Laws Prior To Sept 01, 2005.”

mdieker wrote:Hello: I am new to the sight and wondered if anyone knew what the booster seat regulation (in Ontario) was prior to the new law in 2005. I remember in 2002 it was the kid can get out of the booster once they were 40 lbs . Does anyone know what it was just before to sept 1st 2005?

With the help of the wayback machine(link below), retrieved as of February 19

Pre-school and Primary

* over 18 kg (40 lb.)

* booster seat

* used until a child can comfortably use a complete seat belt assembly

Your child should use a booster seat if he or she cannot sit comfortably all the way against the vehicle seat back, if the knees cannot bend comfortably over the vehicle seat, or the shoulder strap crosses the face or neck.

When smaller children are secured only by a seat belt, the belt may ride up on their abdomen. This may cause internal or spinal injuries in a collision or during a sudden stop.

Your child should use the booster until he or she has outgrown the height or weight limits. Children over 18 kg (40 lb.) may use the vehicle seat belt but are safer in a booster seat.

Make sure that your child's head is supported by the top of the booster or the vehicle seat, the shoulder strap crosses between your child's shoulder and neck (not the face), and the lap belt crosses low over the hips (not the stomach). Do not use seat belt adjusters.

why use a booster?

Seat belts are designed for adults and older larger children. A vehicle booster seat helps position the vehicle seat belt for children who are still too small for a seat belt but have outgrown child car seats. High back and low back boosters should be used with lap/shoulder belt combinations. Abdominal shield boosters should be used with lap-only belts.

Older children

* vehicle seat belt or booster seat

* may be ready for seat belt when over 27 kg (60 lb.) with a sitting * * height of more than 63 cm (24 in.)

* never place the shoulder strap behind a child's back

Seat belts are designed for adults and older, larger children. Minimum sitting height of 63 cm (24 in.) is required to effectively use most lap/shoulder belts.

Once your child can sit all the way against the vehicle seat back with legs bent comfortably over the edge of the seat, and with the shoulder belt flat across the shoulder and chest, he or she is ready to move from the booster seat to the vehicle seat belt.

Make sure the shoulder strap crosses between your child's shoulder and neck (not the face), and the lap belt crosses over the hips (not the stomach).

Children under 13 are safest in the back seat. Never put two children in the same seat belt.

Use a seat belt for every trip and teach your child to wear a seat belt by always wearing one yourself !

What is the law?

The driver is responsible for making sure that everyone in the vehicle under the age of 16 is properly buckled up. Drivers and passengers over age 16 are held responsible for wearing a seat belt themselves. The fine for not wearing a seat belt is $90 plus 2 demerit points, and a victim surcharge.

So that the child over 40 pounds can use the seat belt if they are more comfortable in it. But the same regulation calls for the kid to have at least 2 feet tall sitting height to ensure proper operation of the seat belt.

The new regulations do call for booster seats for children from 40 to 80 pounds.

So, you mean kids can't ride laying in the back window any more, like when I was a kid??

Oh man, that's even before the law was written, let alone re-written...

Bookm wrote:So, you mean kids can't ride laying in the back window any more, like when I was a kid??

What about laying down in the back of a Suburban???? The back of a pick up with 2 other kids on the way back from hockey, the truck had a cap BTW. Oh the old days....

Personally, I never slept better than a couple of times we took long bus trips to play tournaments (think New Orleans, at Mardi Gras) and I could get up into the open, un-compartmentalized overhead luggage rack. Remember those? Lovely motion, gently rocking. (Marred only, on the way to New Orleans, by the guy in the seat below softly and compulsively singing the then-new "Bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevvy to the levee..." at 3 a.m. He shut up only when I threatened to pour beer down on him.) I think there's probably a law against that now. There is against most things.