Car seat clinics help drivers adapt to new laws in Saskatchewan

REGINA – Saskatchewan Government Insurance is helping motorists, and their little ones, adapt to new car seats laws through clinics that are being held across the province.

“You just never know when that moment can happen when you’re in an accident, and even if it’s a minor fender bender, you still want to make sure he’s as safe as possible,” said Michele Ailsby, who took her two-year-old boy to Saturday’s clinic.

The workshop was held at Affinity Insurance Services and provided hands-on training to properly use the seats.

Preliminary numbers from SGI show in 2013, 88 children under seven years of age were injured while riding in a vehicle; three died, seven were improperly restrained or not restrained at all, and 29 were secured by a seat belt that may not have been appropriate for the child.

These statistics are why officials stress the importance of booster seats.

“In some of those instances, it might have prevented the severity of some of the injuries. We can’t say it concretely, but it’s one of those things where it doesn’t hurt to use it to be better safe than sorry type of thing,” said Toni-tiara Colquhoun, community relations coordinator at SGI.

Booster seats generally cost $30-100, she added.

One of the most common misuses of booster seats is graduating children to one before they’re ready. Children need to weigh at least 40 pounds.

“So, not like 40 pounds today, and 39 pounds tomorrow, but actually 40 pounds,” she explained.

The clinics clinics, which are being held throughout the province, prepare all motorists, even those who aren’t parents yet.

“Regina’s a busy city and we want to make sure that’s he’s as safe as he can be,” said Vanessa McIntosh, who is one month from her birth date.