NEW RULES BOOST CHILDREN'S SAFETY

VICTORIA – B.C. children will be better protected in the event of a motor vehicle crash with changes to child passenger safety regulations that make booster seats mandatory, said Linda Reid, Minister of State for Childcare, and Iain Black, MLA for Port Moody-Westwood.

“When children are put in adult seatbelts too soon, they are at much greater risk during crashes,” said Reid. “This regulation change, combined with an increased booster seat awareness campaign, will reduce injuries and save lives.”

Starting July 1 next year, booster seats will be mandatory for all children at least 40 lbs until they are 4’9” tall or age nine. Other changes to Motor Vehicle Act regulations dealing with child restraints include: children over one year old and between 20-40 lbs will need to be secured in a child seat, regardless of who is driving the vehicle; and infant seats must be used until the baby is at least one year of age and 20 lbs. The seat must also be rear facing and not placed in front of an active frontal airbag.

“New rules were needed because B.C.’s laws around child restraints are 22 years old and out of step with current research,” said Black. “Booster seats reduce the risk of fatality by 71 per cent and the risk of serious injury by 67 per cent. It only makes sense to make these changes on behalf of all B.C. children.”

Black has worked over the past year with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to make amendments to child restraint laws, including holding extensive consultations with parents and other stakeholders.

Additional changes to MVA regulations also remove a number of exemptions. All drivers, not just the child’s parents or guardians, will now have to use child restraints, as will drivers of rental vehicles, out-of-province vehicles and passenger vans. Failure to comply with these new regulations will result in a $109 fine.

“Car crashes are the leading cause of injury and death for children in B.C.,” said Solicitor General John Les. “An average of 860 children aged 5-9 are seriously injured every year and five are killed. Yet currently only about 18 per cent of kids in B.C. use booster seats. We’re making changes to enhance booster seat use because, quite simply, it is the responsible thing to do.”

To create awareness and increase booster seat use in B.C., the government has also announced that the British Columbia Automobile Association Traffic Safety Foundation will receive a $250,000 one-time grant to support their Provincial Booster Seat Public Education Strategy.

“Booster seats save lives,” said Allan Lamb, executive director for BCAA TSF. “This new funding will improve our ability to get the message out to all parents in BC about the regulation change and the importance of booster seats.”

Currently, Ontario , Quebec and Nova Scotia and 39 states in the U.S. all have booster seat laws.

Cindy Rose
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961

Karen Murry
Ministry of Children and Family Development
250 356-1639

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province's news feeds using RSS, visit the Province's website.

BUCKLING DOWN ON PEOPLE WHO WON'T BUCKLE UP

VANCOUVER — Tougher penalties and stiffer fines for failing to wear seatbelts will take effect today, the beginning of Canada Road Safety Week (May 15 to 21).

"Last year, 397 men, women and children died in motor vehicle crashes on B.C. roads," said Les. "We take this seriously, and tougher seatbelt regulations and fines enhance our road safety program, which already includes increased enforcement, the creation of Integrated Road Safety Units, Air One and bait cars. We want everyone to buckle up because we know the single most effective method of preventing fatal car accidents is wearing seatbelts."

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations increase the fine for not wearing a seatbelt to $167 from $138. A new fine of $598 will apply to employers or vehicle owners who allow their vehicle to be operated when there are more passengers than seatbelts in the vehicle.

"Only about 10 per cent of British Columbians fail to wear seatbelts, but they account for about 40 per cent of motor vehicle fatalities," Les said. "If 100 per cent of British Columbians buckled up for the next year, we could save as many as 100 lives."

Today, road safety partners demonstrated the potentially deadly consequences of not wearing seatbelts with the rollover simulator at RCMP E-Division in Vancouver. The rollover simulator is made of the chassis of a truck cab mounted on a trailer, and simulates the movements of belted and unbelted motor vehicle occupants in a vehicle rollover collision. The demonstration shows how unbelted crash test dummies smash into the windshield, dashboard or other passengers, with the head, face and chest taking most of the impact.

"I can't understand why someone in this day and age would choose to not buckle up," said Inspector Derek Cooke, OIC of the Lower Mainland Traffic Services. "I am hoping that through demonstrations like this one, we are able to change the minds of those who currently don't wear seatbelts. It's a decision that could save their lives."

Canada Road Safety Week leads into the Victoria Day long weekend because it is traditionally one of the busiest weekends on B.C. roads and highways. Police statistics show that on average, there are 355 motor vehicle crashes, 240 injuries and five fatalities in B.C. over the May holiday weekend.

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Media Contact:
Cindy Rose - Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961

Const. Dave Babineau - "E" Division Traffic Services
604 539-2718

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province's news feeds using RSS, visit the Province's website at www.gov.bc.ca.

NEW SEATBELT RULES START TODAY

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations take effect May 14, 2007.

The new regulations are:

Every seat used in a vehicle must have a seatbelt. A fine of $167 (includes victim surcharge) will be levied for the following:

• Operating a vehicle without seatbelts;
• Operating a vehicle with inoperative seatbelts;
• Failing to wear a seatbelt (fine increased from $138);
• Permitting passengers without seatbelts;
• Failing to remain seated;
• Failing to be the only occupant of a seat;
• Operating a vehicle while a person is riding on the vehicle;
• Operating a vehicle with more than one person in a seat;
• Operating a vehicle while a person is not seated;
• Operating a vehicle with too many seats.

Employers or owners of vehicles will receive a $598 ticket (includes victim surcharge) for any of the following:

• Requiring or allowing a vehicle to be operated with too many people in the vehicle
• Requiring or allowing a vehicle to be operated with inoperative seatbelts;
• Requiring or allowing a vehicle to be operated with too many seats.

Operating a vehicle with too many persons in the vehicle will result in a $311 ticket (including victim surcharges).

The new regulations apply to vehicles that were manufactured with seatbelts. Older vehicles and vehicles such as large buses that were not manufactured with seatbelts are not required to be retro-fitted with seatbelts; however, they may only carry as many passengers as there are seating positions available.

Media Contact:
Cindy Rose - Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province's news feeds using RSS, visit the Province's website at www.gov.bc.ca.