January 5, 2012

Child Safety Seat Regulations Updated

Updates to Canadian child safety seat regulations came into effect on January 1st of this year.  Major changes include:

• Changing dynamic testing of child seats to adopt most of the U.S. testing parameters
• Introducing requirements for dynamic testing of booster seats
• Increasing the maximum allowable weight limit of child seats from 22 kg (48.5 lb.) to 30 kg (66 lb.)
• Allowing certification of harnesses for use on school buses by special needs children

These updates do not require parents and caregivers to replace their current child seats.

For important information on how to keep children as safe as possible on every road trip, visit Transport Canada's Keep Kids Safe web page, or NHTSA's Child Safety page.

More information about the updated regulations can be found in the Transport Canada Press Release.

December 14, 2011

Happy, Safe Holidays!

The Year 2011 was declared the National Year of Road Safety in Canada by the Canadian Global Road Safety Committee, chaired by Transport Canada.  The goal was to raise awareness and promote safety on roads across the country.

Even though 2011 is coming to a close, we should all remember the importance of road safety in the years ahead every time we get into a vehicle.  Never is this more prominent than during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Collision Analysis wishes you and yours a joyous holiday season and a happy, prosperous 2012!

November 24, 2011

On-Scene Fall 2011

We are excited to deliver another issue of our newsletter, On-Scene.  This edition details our involvement in the recent personal watercraft trial, Archer/Perez v Yamaha, in which Plaintiffs were awarded $35 million.

Click here to subscribe to On-Scene free of charge!

November 4, 2011

Vehicle Safety

Thinking of buying a new or used vehicle?  More and more of us are concerned with how well a vehicle will protect us in a crash, or even what a vehicle can do to prevent a crash in the first place.  Many safety technologies that were only found in high-priced luxury vehicles just a few years ago are now standard on many economy vehicles.  Items such as multiple airbags and electronic stability control are common features.  Some are required by Federal law, or soon will be.

Trying to find a safe vehicle that also fits your tastes, lifestyle and budget doesn’t need to be difficult.  Most passenger vehicles are safety rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the U.S.  These websites, as well as Transport Canada’s Road Safety website, also have useful information on various safety technologies. 

Unfortunately, even top rated vehicles can be subject to safety recalls.  You can search the Transport Canada and NHTSA websites to see whether your vehicle has been recalled or, just as important, to report a suspected safety issue.  It’s a good idea to make sure your vehicle manufacturer has your current address so you can be notified in the event of a recall (contact the manufacturer or one of its authorized dealers).

You can easily access these websites from the Quick Links section on any page of our site.