- Birth to 9/10kg
(20/22 lb.), or according to
manufacturer’s instructions.
- Never use near an
active airbag
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Harnessing Child in Seats
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Place the harness straps at or below the
infants shoulder level. Make sure, the
harness straps are flat and not twisted
or folded as this will alter the
performance of the harness system.
Secure the chest clip, positioning at
arm pit level. Ensuring that only one
finger fits between the harness and the
infant’s collar bone after the harness
is buckled. The chest clip will hold the
shoulder harness over the infant’s
shoulders. This makes it difficult for
the harness straps to slip off the
shoulders which could lead to ejection
of the infant in the event of a
collision. Sometimes the space between
the infant’s crotch and the crotch strap
is great enough to allow for slouching
of the infant resulting in
re-positioning of the shoulder harness
above the infant’s shoulders.
In this event a rolled cloth may be used
between the infant’s crotch and the
crotch strap. This crotch roll must be
placed between the legs of the infant
and never allowed to shift up to the
abdomen.
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Installing the Rear-facing Seat
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Before any installation of a Rear-facing
seat is attempted, the instruction manuals
for the vehicle and for the Rear-facing seat
MUST be consulted. The best location for a
rear-facing restraint system is in the back
seat. The centre back seating position is
generally considered the safer place as it
is furthest away from an intruding vehicle
or object in a collision. However it is
necessary to check that the seat belt
assembly accommodates the seat and that the
seat fits into that location. At least 80%
of the base of the seat must be supported by
the vehicle seat. If this cannot be
achieved, another appropriate seating
position can be tried or another model of
Rear-facing seat may have to be considered.
To install, push your full body weight onto
the seat (or the base if detachable), then
pull the seat belt as tightly as possible
and fasten. The seat should move no more
than 2.5 cm (1 in.), to the front or to the
side of the vehicle.
When installing the Rear- facing seat,
ensure that the seat rests at approximately
45-degrees angle. Rear-facing seats are
designed to support the entire head, neck,
and back, that distributes the crash force
across the full length of the body.
Rear-facing seats also keeps the infants
head from flopping forward and possibly
cutting off the airway. To adjust the angle,
it is suggested that you use a water noodle,
or a rolled up towel under the seat base.
Some infant-only seats are equipped with a
carrying handle for use outside of the
vehicle. The handle must be in the down
position while in the vehicle.
In September 2002, a new Canadian Federal
Regulation took effect requiring all
passenger cars, multi-purpose vehicles,
trucks and buses to be manufactured with
lower anchorage systems to help make it
easier for parents and caregivers to
properly secure child passengers.
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