Insurance industry applauds stricter standards for booster and car seats

Canada's home, car, and business insurers are applauding Transport Canada's stricter new safety standards for booster and car seats, saying the move not only protects children, but also positions Canada as a leader in road safety.

"These new, more comprehensive standards will raise the bar in road safety," says Don Forgeron, President and CEO of Insurance Bureau of Canada. "Canadians should be pleased with Transport Canada's quick action that will ultimately help parents keep their kids safe."

Under the current rules, last updated in 1998, manufacturers of child restraints and booster seats for cars are not required to test their products uniformly using the same equipment and methodology. And booster cushions only undergo a static or non-moving test on a sled apparatus in a laboratory.

After conducting its own studies, Transport Canada wants to improve compliance tests. Its research showed that fewer than half of the booster seats tested provided "good protection" for children when the vehicles were involved in moderate to severe impacts. The government is proposing a uniform test for rear-facing and forward-facing car seats and introducing a dynamic test for booster seats.

"The insurance industry has a long history of working with all levels of government to improve road safety," said Forgeron. "That's why we reach out to Canadians on the dangers of distracted driving, and take action on impaired driving by sponsoring Operation Red Nose. This latest announcement demonstrates Transport Canada's ongoing commitment to making Canada's roads safer for everyone, and we congratulate them on that move."

Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, car and business insurers. Its member companies represent nearly 95% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. The P&C insurance industry employs over 110,000 Canadians, pays more than $6 billion in taxes to the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and has a total premium base of $39 billion.