AUTOMOTIVE
Kids in Cars
New rotating car seats make driving with toddlers (a tad) easier while keeping them safe.
By Matt Bubbers | Illustration by Tom Froese
TRYING TO GET my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter into her car seat sometimes feels like wrangling a raccoon into a party dress. On such occasions, when she, for reasons known only to her, doesn’t want to get into the car (maybe she has other plans?), she’ll suddenly become wriggly, squiggly, ferociously loud and surprisingly strong for someone who is only three feet tall. There are two things that help: one, the swivelling car seat that rotates to face the open door; two, a bribe of some sort. I’m ashamed of resorting to bribes but proud to extol the virtues of the magical seat.
“When buying any car seat, ensure it has a National Safety Mark.”
Swivelling or rotating child seats are still relatively new on the Canadian market. Their main benefit — while the seat base remains stationary and securely fastened to the vehicle, the chair (or shell) can rotate. Temper tantrums notwithstanding, it makes getting a child in the car and fastening the seat harness much easier. There’s less lunging and bending at awkward angles — your lower back will thank you — and it’s easy to ensure the harness is properly fastened. The added convenience comes at a hefty price, though. Rotating seats can be hundreds of dollars more than non-rotating models and, often, are heavier and taller, too. (As someone who test-drives dozens of new vehicles each year, however, I’ve never had an issue fitting our rotating seat into a vehicle.) When it comes to safety, several rotating seats receive top ratings in independent tests by Consumer Reports. It’s sobering to realize that motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death among children in Canada. Child seats, when properly installed and used correctly, can reduce the risk of fatal injury for infants under the age of one by 71 percent, according to CAA National. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that all infants and toddlers ride in rear-facing child seats as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the seats’ manufacturer. After that, children should ride in front-facing safety seats until they’ve outgrown those, then move to booster seats. When buying any car seat, ensure it has a National Safety Mark. This is a round label with a maple leaf in the centre, indicating that the seat is certified for use in Canada. Also check the particular regulations in your province or territory. And if you choose to go with a rotating seat, welcome to a better way. CAA
