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BC  

Is your car seat safe?

Parents could be putting small children at risk in a car by improperly installing car seats or even using some second-hand ones.

A new BCAA survey found most parents install child car seats themselves, but many don’t do regular checks and some have doubts.

Just over half of parents asked admitted they don't check to see if their child’s seat is properly installed all the time.

The survey found:

  • 21 per cent are not certain their child is properly installed in the child car seat
  • 17 per cent aren’t sure if the seat is correct for their child’s age and weight
  • 66 per cent install seats themselves
  • 25 per cent have their car seat checked by a certified expert

“We were surprised with the survey results because at every one of our car seat clinics, we find so many seats improperly installed, kids in the wrong type of seat, second-hand seats, and worried parents baffled after realizing how much they don’t know,” said Shawn Pettipas, BCAA expert. “The bottom line is that many parents simply don’t know what they don’t know and may be making mistakes.”

Although half of those surveyed believe it's safe to use a second-hand seat as long as it’s in good condition, Pettipas said parents should beware.

“Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it’s safe. Not knowing the full history of a second-hand car seat means parents can’t be absolutely certain of the seat’s condition and this can put their kid at risk.”

The BCAA’s child car seat website offers information, including step-by-step installation instructions.

A total of 401 parents with a car seat in their vehicle were interviewed between Jan. 30-Feb. 2 for the survey conducted by Insights West.



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