On Wednesday, June 1, officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal will be offering free information and consultations on car seats and booster seats at three Access PEI locations, says Minister Ron MacKinley.
“The proper use and installation of child safety seats and booster seats are key to keeping children safe in passenger vehicles,” said Minister MacKinley. “We are pleased to partner with Safe Kids Canada, during Safe Kids Week, to promote this very important safety message.”
On June 1, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., officials from the Department’s Highway Safety Division will be available for free consultations on car seats and booster seats at Access PEI locations in Summerside, Charlottetown and Montague. No appointment is required for a consultation. Officials will have information on proper installation, proper sizing and will be able to discuss the rules of the road pertaining to car seats and booster seats.
Child safety seats and booster seats better protect small children from serious injury in collisions when used properly. Prince Edward Island has laws in place that make child safety car seat and booster seat use mandatory. Those rules are as follows:
• Infants from birth weight to 10 kg (22 lb) and a minimum of one year of age must travel in a rear-facing child restraint seat.
• Toddlers from 9 to 18 kg (22 to 40 lb) must travel in a child restraint seat.
• Children who weigh 18 kilograms (40 pounds) or more must be in a booster seat if they are nine years of age or under and shorter than 145 centimetres (4' 9").
For more information on Safe Kids Week visit www.safekidscanada.ca and for more information on the province’s rules pertaining to child safety seats visit www.gov.pe.ca/tir/ and look for the link to Car and Booster seat laws.