Introduction

Welcome to the AORP booster seat tool kit.  We hope you find the resources and ideas in this kit helpful as you assist parents and caregivers to transport children safely.

You can navigate through the kit using the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.  The kit is made up of three parts: (1) Background information, (2) Public education resources, and (3) Suggested activities.

Who is this kit for?

This kit is intended for professionals who work with families and children as injury prevention practitioners, day care staff, day home operators, preschool teachers, K-3 teachers, and community health nurses.  Other safety education professionals such as police, fire fighters and emergency medical service providers may also find the contents of this kit useful.

There is a lack of awareness among parents and families about the role of boosters in keeping kids safe during vehicle travel.  A recent study by Safe Kids Canada indicated that three-quarters of Canadian parents with children 4-9 years old don't use booster seats.  Of these:

• 42% believed that their child was too big for a booster
• 23% thought that their child didn't need a booster to be safe
• 19% felt their child was too old for a booster.

Professionals are in an ideal position to educate parents about the importance of booster seat use and address misconceptions.

How can I use this kit?

There are many resources and ideas in this kit that will inspire you and support you to educate parents, caregivers and children about booster seats.

The kit begins with some important background information for you about booster seats.  It also includes links to resources that can be downloaded, copied, and distributed, such as fact sheets and media relations templates.  Feel free to use this information as a starting point for work within your organization or with partners in the community.

Why are booster seats so important?

Safety experts and advocates recommend the use of booster seats for children who have outgrown child safety seats but are too small to fit into an existing adult seat belt system.

Booster seats are the safest choice for children who have outgrown their toddler seat (at a minimum of 40 lb (18 kg)). For children under 9 years of age, AORP recommends that booster seats be used until a weight of 80 pounds (36 kg) or a height of  4'9'' (145 cm) is reached.

How do booster seats work?

A booster seat raises a child up for a safer seat belt fit. This makes the shoulder portion of the seat belt cross over the shoulder and chest, away from the vulnerable neck and face. It also keeps the lap portion of the seat belt safely in place over the hipbones and away from the abdomen.  Simply put, a booster seat allows a seat belt to fit over the strong, bony parts of a child-sized body.

Next - Background information