Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of injury-related death for Canadian children.
The risk of injury can be reduced by protecting children with the right kind of restraint for their age and size and using it correctly.
When used correctly, proper passenger restraints can significantly reduce the rates of injuries and fatalities in children:
Car seats can reduce the risk of death by 71% for infants under age 1 and 54% for children ages 1 to 4.
Car seats reduce the risk of hospitalization by 67% for children age 4 and under.
Booster seats provide 59% more protection than seat belts alone. (*Public Health Agency of Canada)
Misuse rates range from 44% to 81% for car seats, and 30% to 50% for booster seats (*Canadian Paediatric Society)