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Injury Prevention
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Children have special safety needs
In a motor vehicle collision, a child who is not properly restrained can be crushed or thrown out of a vehicle. This can cause serious injuries such as damage to a child's brain, spine and internal organs.
Infants and children have large heads in proportion to the rest of their body. The muscles in their neck are not well developed. In a head-on collision, a child's head can jerk forward suddenly and violently, causing neck and spinal injuries.
Due to a child's smaller size, an adult seat belt cannot be positioned on the parts of a child's body that are strongest to withstand the force of a crash. As well, a child's body can easily slip through an adult seat belt system.
Child car seats work by distributing the force of an impact over a larger portion - and strongest parts of a child's body. That's why parents should make sure the harness straps are flat, the chest clip is at armpit level, and that the harness straps are snug.
Carrying a child on your lap
Parents and caregivers may think that carrying a child on their lap when travelling in a motor vehicle is safe. Holding a child on your lap is extremely dangerous and against the law.
If you were in a head-on crash travelling at a speed of 50 km/ hour, the force of the crash is like dropping your child from a third storey window. It will be impossible to hold on to your child.
Protect your child in the proper car seat, correctly installed every time you travel.
Last updated April 2011
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