The Prince George RCMP and Prince George Fire Rescue Service held a car seat clinic for parents at the CN Centre on Wednesday.
The clinic runs until 2 p.m. and drop-in spots were still available as of Wednesday morning, Prince George RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jennifer Cooper said. Cooper, who is a BCAA Child Passenger Safety Educator, also offered some tips for parents not able to make the clinic on Wednesday.
“Pull out both the manual for the car and the car seat, and give them a read through,” Cooper said. “Every time you change a vehicle or change a seat, check the specifications.”
Sometimes different models of the same vehicle can have different specifications for attaching car seats, so it’s always best to double-check before installing the seat.
When considering moving your child up from one type of seat to the next, such as from a rear-facing seat to a forward-facing seat, check the B.C regulations online.
It’s important to measure your child’s height and weight so you can accurately decide when it is time to move your child up to the next seat type, Cooper said, of “you risk doing it too soon for your child.”
“If you have an especially petite child, you may be a booster seat longer than other children,” she said. “Sometimes we have kids in Grade 4-5 still in a booster seat.”
If parents are unsure if they have installed their child seat currently, they can contact a BCAA Child Passenger Safety Educator to make an appointment to have their car seat checked. A list of Child Passenger Safety Educators in Prince George and other communities across B.C. is available online.
