Modes of Transportation – In an Automobile

Seat Belts

A seat belt reduces by half the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident. Buckling up could save your life!

Seat belts were invented to counter the laws of physics and to protect you

A seat belt reduces by half the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident. The higher the speed, the greater the impact:

  • at 50 km/h, it is like falling from a 4-storey building
  • at 75 km/h, it is like falling from an 8-storey building
  • at 100 km/h, it is like falling from a 14-storey building

In recent years, more than 30% of drivers and passengers killed in traffic accidents involving passenger vehicles were not wearing their seat belts.

If everyone riding in a vehicle buckled up, 40 deaths and 95 serious injuries could be avoided every year.

Seat belts hold you in place!

  1. The lap belt must always cross over the pelvis, not over the abdomen.
  2. The shoulder belt must always cross over the collar bone, not over the neck.
  3. The seat belt should be snug, with no slack.

What the law says

Buckling up in a vehicle is mandatory. If you fail to do so, you are subject to:

  • a fine of $80 to $100
  • 3 demerit points

Drivers are responsible for making sure that passengers fasten their seat belts

If passengers under 16 years of age don't buckle up, it is the driver who faces a fine and demerit points.

No passengers without a seat belt!

The maximum number of passengers, regardless of their age, is equal to the number of places equipped with a seat belt installed by the manufacturer.

If a seat belt has been removed, modified or made unusable:

The fine is $200 to $300.

Find out more about the rules concerning modified cars.

YOU MUST ALSO WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT IN A TAXI OR WHEN USING A RIDESHARE SERVICE. IT’S THE LAW!

The law doesn’t change. Passengers in these types of vehicles must always buckle up.

If passengers under 16 years of age don’t fasten their seat belts

It is the adult accompanying the child, and not the qualified driver, who faces a fine and demerit points.

Once they turn 14, passengers could be fined and the demerit points entered on their driving record.

QUALIFIED DRIVERS AND SEAT BELTS

While on duty, qualified drivers are required to wear their seat belts at all times. Under no circumstances are they exempt from this obligation.

RIDING IN A TAXI OR USING A RIDESHARE SERVICE WITH A YOUNG CHILD

When riding in these types of vehicles, if there are no child safety seats, children must wear seat belts, except if they are too young to maintain an upright position on their own. In the latter case, you should first buckle your seat belt, and then hold the child in your arms.

Do not buckle the child in with you because your weight could crush him or her in the event of a collision or sudden braking.

For safety reasons, riding in  a taxi or using a rideshare service with a child should be avoided, except in an emergency, unless you are able to secure the child in a safety seat.

Properly adjusting your seat belt if you are pregnant

  • The lap belt must always be worn low across the pelvic bone, not on the abdomen.
  • The shoulder belt should be worn in the usual manner, that is, it should cross over the collar bone, not over the neck.
  • The seat belt should be snug with no slack. Rather than being crushed or jostled in any way, the fetus will be well protected.

If you are involved in a traffic accident while pregnant

Even if you have no apparent injuries or pain, you should consult your physician to make sure everything is fine.

Seat belts and children

In a vehicle, children must be secured in a child safety seat until they are 145 cm tall or 9 years old.

Before using a regular seat belt

The child’s position in the vehicle’s seat must be checked:

  • when seated, the child’s back must be flat against the backrest and his or her legs must be long enough that the knees are bent over the edge of the seat—the child must be able to maintain this position comfortably and without effort throughout the trip
  • when the seat belt is fastened, it must cross:
    • over the middle of the shoulder (collarbone) and not over the neck
    • over the hips (pelvis) and not over the stomach

If these conditions are not met, the child should continue to use a booster seat.

Travelling safely with a pet

Dogs and cats, even small ones, can become projectiles in the event of a collision or sudden braking, potentially causing injury to or killing a vehicle's other occupants.

Pets must never obstruct a driver's field of vision or interfere with the proper handling of the vehicle.

There are solutions!

  • Pet carriers, which should ideally be held in place by a seat belt
  • Safety harnesses for large dogs, which must be adjusted to the fit the animal's body and have straps for inserting the seat belt