A child safety seat checkstop in Airdrie conducted during the week of April 18 saw 200 vehicles pulled over and about 50 tickets given out.
“When it comes to car seat checks, the goal is education, not enforcement,” said Sheriff Jason Graw. “Car seats come with instruction, but children don’t.”
The tickets allow residents the option of taking part in an Alberta Health Services’ Car Seat Safety course to avoid paying the $115 fine.
“We want people to be proactive and make sure their children are safe,” said Graw.
“We want people to know there are two places they can look for how to install a child seat: in the manual with the car seat, but also in your car manual. Vehicles have anchors built right into the car and the seats clip right in.”
According to the Canada Safety Council, four out of every five kids are not correctly buckled up while riding in motor vehicles and motor vehicle collisions are the No. 1 cause of death for children ages one to nine.
Seventy-five per cent of crash-related deaths and serious injuries can be prevented by the correct use of a child restraint.
Graw said common errors in the installation of car seats include the seat not being strapped into the car tight enough or the child not being secured correctly in the seat.
According to the Canada Safety Council, 25 per cent of infant car seats were not installed rear-facing, 27.5 per cent of forward-facing car seats were not tethered and restraint use was lowest for children from five to nine years of age.
“It is important to remind people that securing their children is just as important as putting on your own seatbelt,” said Graw.
“Even if you are running for a short trip, take the time to ensure your child is secure.”
Residents who want to know if their seats are secured properly can bring them to the Airdrie RCMP detachment and an officer will check them out.
For more information on the Alberta Health Services car seat safety course, visit www.albertahealth.ca
