Half of Quebec's child car seats are improperly used, SAAQ warns

About half of all car seats in the province are being used improperly,either because the seat or the child isn't strapped inright, according to Quebec's automobile insurance board.

MarioVaillancourt, anSAAQspokesperson, said that a proper car seat setup can reduce risk of injury by 70 per cent.

"It's important to be well prepared," he said in an interview with CBC.

The advice comes as some boroughs and organizations start to publicize their car seat verification services, just in time for spring.

Vehicle accidents where a child under the age of 15 was injured have been on the rise in Quebec since 2012, according to the latest numbers from the SAAQ.

A total of 1,711 young passengerssuffered injuries resulting from a road accidentin 2016. That is up from 1,588 in 2012, an increase of just under eight per cent.

The increase goes against the general trend in Quebec,which sawinstances of more serious and even fatal accidents declineacross the board during the same period.

Parents take note

Vaillancourt saidwhen a harness is on right, the strapsshould be no more than a finger's width from the collarbone.

AngelaPolyzogopoulos,a certified car seat technician bythe Child Passenger Safety Association ofCanada, saidanother common problem is parents moving onto the next phase of car seats too early.

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"A lot of the times, people move their kids on too soon," she said, adding that a lot comes down to the weight and size of the child, rather than their age.

In Quebec, children are required to ride in a car or booster seat until their seated height is at least 25 inches.

Polyzogopoulos, who is also the co-founder of the West Island-based company Kids en Route,told CBC that the regulations have become stricter in Canadaoverthe past few decades.

"We were just using seatbelts when I was growing up," she said.

One of the services offered at Kids en Route is private consultations on car seat safety. Based on herown experience, Polyzogopoulossaid she believes the number of improperly installed car seats is significantly higher than the SAAQ estimates.

"I would say it's even more, closer to 90 per cent," she said. "There could be a lot of improvement."

Better safe than sorry

For one thing, Polyzogopoulos said, parents need to read the manual for a car seat or consult an expert.

Along with companies like Kids en Route, there are also a number of locations across Montreal that provide free car seat consultations. CAA-Qubecoffers a complete list by area, here.

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According toPolyzogopoulos, parents should spend money on a new car seatinstead of takingchances with secondhand or expired ones.

"You don't know if it's been dropped, or been in an accident," she said, adding it could also have beenwashed with bleach,which could weaken key components of theseat.

Outremontpublic security, in conjunction with theSainte-Justinehospital, isholding a freecar seat clinic this Sunday, May 28.

The clinic, which is open to all, will take place atat500DollardAvenue, corner ofBernard andrunfrom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.