June 22 /CNW/ - Before you jump in the car to start your summer vacation, Safe Kids Canada wants parents to ensure their children are safely buckled up in the backseat. The majority of serious injuries and fatalities for children under the age of 14 occur in the summer months due to motor vehicle collisions. With only 28 per cent of Canadian children between the ages of four and eight using booster seats, parents are putting their children at risk for serious injuries in the event of a car crash.
   
“Parents can protect their children by putting them in booster seats every time they ride in a vehicle,” says Pamela Fuselli, executive director, Safe Kids Canada. “When installed correctly, a booster seat can reduce a child’s chances of injury or death by as much as 75 per cent.”

Safe Kids Canada offers these tips for using a booster seat:

    -   A child is ready for a booster seat when they are less than four feet nine inches tall and weigh between 40 and 80 pounds.
    -   A booster seat lifts a child up so that the seat belt fits correctly. Both the lap and the shoulder belt must be used and will hold the child and the booster seat in place during a crash or sudden stop.
    -   There are two different types of booster seats sold in Canada: A high back booster seat provides head and neck protection in cars without head restraints and a no back booster is used in cars that
        have adjustable head restraints or high seat backs.
    -   A child is ready for a seat belt when he or she is at least four feet nine inches or 80 pounds.

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of injury-related death for Canadian children. Every year, an estimated 100 children age 14 and under are killed and more than 10,000 are injured due to traffic collisions.

Safe Kids Canada’s mission is to lead and inspire a culture of safety across the country in order to reduce unintentional injuries, the leading cause of death among children and youth in Canada. As a national leader, Safe Kids Canada uses a collaborative and innovative approach to develop partnerships, conduct research, educate and advocate in order to prevent serious injuries among children, youth and their families. Our vision is Healthier Children. Fewer Injuries. A Safer Canada. Safe Kids Canada is the national injury prevention program of The Hospital for Sick Children. For more information on child safety, visit http://www.safekidscanada.ca or call 1-888-SAFE-TIP.