Car seat installation guidelines

For the best fit in any vehicle, the seatbelt must hold the child car seat firmly in place. The proper child car seat is more dependent on the child’s size than age. However, a child must remain rear facing until all 3 of the following criteria are met:

• 1 year of age
• walks unassisted
• weighs 22 lb.

Installation Guidelines

• Push the child car seat down while you tighten the belt. There should be less than 1 inch movement side to side and front to back.
• Check the manufacturer's instructions to ensure the child car seat will accommodate your child's weight.
• Place children under 12 years old in the back seat and never in seats with an airbag. Children sitting too close to a deploying airbag can be seriously, even fatally, injured.
• Place children in the middle of the back seat whenever possible. However, a booster seat with a high back needs to be used with a lap/shoulder seatbelt and should be placed accordingly.
• Consider your child’s size when purchasing a child car seat. It’s a good idea to place your child in the seat prior to purchase – comfort and proper fit are important.
• Ensure harness straps lie flat (not twisted). The chest clip should be at the child’s underarm level. The harness should be tight enough so that you can fit only one finger between the harness and the child’s chest.

For visual guide, watch the installation video from the Safe Kids Canada website.

Things not to do

• Don’t use child car seats with door-mounted or motorized seatbelts. The restraint won’t be secure.
• Don’t wrap your baby in a blanket before putting on a harness. Nothing should interfere with the straps that hold the baby in the car seat. Instead, put the straps on first and then cover the baby with blankets.
• Don’t install the infant car seat too upright. A newborn’s head will flop forward, which could close the baby’s airway, making it difficult to breathe. Place a rolled towel under the front of the seat. This will tip the seat back for a better angle about 45 degrees.
• Don’t use household booster seats in your vehicle. They aren’t designed for transportation purposes.

Properly securing and fitting children into child car seats can be a complicated process. Have your car seat checked by a trained technician to verify you're doing it properly.

If there isn’t one in your community, find one near you with our certified child car seat technician locator or call one of our designated claims and salvage centres.