Okay...I was beginning to feel like the little girl who cried wolf one too many times.

Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 10:42 PM
To: Road Safety Web Mail
Subject: Question about forward-facing weight limits for harnessed child restraints.


Hello,
I was told by someone at SGI that Transport Canada would be issuing an intent to change the standards for forward facing child restraints to a weight limit of 65lbs and that the change would come into effect April 1, 2007. Can you please comment on this.

I have a 4 1/4 year old child with special needs who can not ride safely or properly in a booster and he needs to be in a 5-point harness for as long as possible. A higher forward facing weight limit would open up so many options for him and his safety.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Transport Canada's response...finally.

Regulations Clerk - ASFB - Commis aux règlements <RegulationsClerk-ASFB-Commisauxreglements@tc.gc.ca>
to me

show details
12:23 pm (24 minutes ago)
In reply to your recent e-mail, under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Transport Canada administers regulations for the safety performance of vehicles, tires and other products such as booster cushions and restraint systems that are sold in Canada. You can find the applicable federal regulations for restraint systems at the following Transport Canada website: http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/GENERAL/M/mvsa/regulations/rssr/rssr.htm.

Currently in the Canadian regulations, child restraints are specified for children having a weight between 20 lbs and 48 lbs. Child restraints and booster cushions have been specified for these weight limits, as child restraints are designed to be installed using either the universal anchorage system or the vehicle seat belt. Once a child has outgrown its child restraint system (i.e. seat with an internal harness), the Department continues to recommend that a child use a booster cushion with the vehicle seat belt assembly. Note that a booster cushion is not permitted to have an internal harness system.

New vehicles are now equipped with universal anchorage systems, often found in the seat belt area of the rear seating positions. These attachment points, along with a top tether anchor, often found at the top rear shelf of the vehicle, are recommended to be used to secure child restraints in vehicles. These anchors have been designed to accommodate children weighing 48 lbs as a minimum.
While the Department's research supports the use of child restraints that can accommodate a child weighing more than 48 lbs, the Department has been concerned with respect to the misuse potential for these heavier child restraints if they are incorrectly attached to the universal anchorage system. It is important to underline that not all child restraints for kids over 48 lbs have a label or instructions informing the parents to use the vehicle seat belt to secure the child restraint when the child reaches 48 lbs.

You may be pleased to know that the Department is in the final stages of addressing this misuse concern. When this review is complete and the Department has developed and published a requirement for users to be informed of the proper use of child restraints, they will then be permitted for sale in Canada. We expect the publication to be completed in the months to come. If manufacturers choose to sell in Canada, you will soon have access to child restraints that can accommodate children up to 65 lbs.

Should you require additional information or clarification on this matter, please do not hesitate to call the Road Safety Information Centre at 1-800-333-0371.

Regulations Officer / Agent de règlements
Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate / Sécurité routière et réglementation automobile
Transport Canada / Transports Canada
MotorVehicleStandardsResearch@tc.gc.ca
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Thanks for contacting TC and posting this. It's nice to be kept informed of what's happening in the CPS front here in the great white north.

2maybe3 said:

Thanks for contacting TC and posting this. It's nice to be kept informed of what's happening in the CPS front here in the great white north.

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Yes, it is very nice to have updates! Thanks

I can't wait til we get the 65lb seat limit here in Canada

JaRylan said:

New vehicles are now equipped with universal anchorage systems, often found in the seat belt area of the rear seating positions. These attachment points, along with a top tether anchor, often found at the top rear shelf of the vehicle, are recommended to be used to secure child restraints in vehicles. These anchors have been designed to accommodate children weighing 48 lbs as a minimum.
While the Department's research supports the use of child restraints that can accommodate a child weighing more than 48 lbs, the Department has been concerned with respect to the misuse potential for these heavier child restraints if they are incorrectly attached to the universal anchorage system. It is important to underline that not all child restraints for kids over 48 lbs have a label or instructions informing the parents to use the vehicle seat belt to secure the child restraint when the child reaches 48 lbs.

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It almost sounds as if our tether anchors and LATCH have been tested for the 48lbs that some of the seats go too.

These anchors have been designed to accommodate children weighing 48 lbs as a minimum

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But this sort of confuses me The 48lbs as a minimum

JaRylan said:

While the Department's research supports the use of child restraints that can accommodate a child weighing more than 48 lbs, the Department has been concerned with respect to the misuse potential for these heavier child restraints if they are incorrectly attached to the universal anchorage system. It is important to underline that not all child restraints for kids over 48 lbs have a label or instructions informing the parents to use the vehicle seat belt to secure the child restraint when the child reaches 48 lbs.

You may be pleased to know that the Department is in the final stages of addressing this misuse concern.

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So off the top of your head, can anyone tell me the seats that don't tell you not to use LATCH after 48lbs?

This just ticks me off. Because the are worried people might not switch to a seatbelt install at 48lbs they have forced how many thousands of kids into using a booster seat before they are physically or or mentally mature enough to use it properly. What about the other ways that seats are misused? Why doesn't TC address the highly misused AO car seat with the 5th position that isn't a 5th position? Why not say slap a sticker on your seat in bright orange that warns parents instead of imprinting it on the plastic and then the writing gets hidden by the bar once you move it anyways? Why couldn't they have made exceptions for parents who are educated about the proper use of HWH seats, instead the more informed parent is using a HWH seat "illegally" in order to keep their child safer. This appears to have nothing at all to do with having to test Canada's standards using a new dummy with a higher weight. It is a frickin' sticker issue. My 2001 car doesn't even have LATCH anchors. When did HWH seats first become available? What was Canada's excuse for not allowing them before LATCH came into place?

Getting off my soapbox now, felt good to be taller for a minute or two.

I am grateful that this is happening.

The Apex and Go don't tell you to use the seatbelts over 48 pounds (in the US, anyway).