TDSB schools open today

Friday, January 11, 2013,

TDSB elementary and junior high schools re−opened to students,

Limited school crossing guard availability today

Friday, January 11, 2013

Traffic Services

416−808−1900

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has decided to open all elementary and junior high schools, to students today.

As a result, Traffic Services is notifying the public that there will be limited school crossing guards available today at TDSB elementary and junior high school designated crossing areas.

Parents and care−givers should review pedestrian safety with their children, and reinforce the basic guidelines of, "Stop, Look and Listen," when crossing the street. Motorists are being asked to pay particular attention to these normally controlled crossing areas.

The Toronto Police Service is dedicated to ensuring the safe and orderly movement of traffic within Toronto. Education with Enforcement and awareness is pivotal to the safe and efficient flow of traffic in our city.

Constable Clint Stibbe Traffic Services

Do you know what to do when.....

You adjust the radio looking for a station that is playing a favorite song, maybe a business report or a game.

So far you have had no such luck.

You look up and traffic has started to move you are still distracted and continue checking the stations. You look outside and notice a few cars have begun to move into other lanes, most of the vehicles are moving to the right, a few are just stopping where they are and other vehicles are moving to the left.

You begin to look around and then you see an emergency vehicle attempting to get through traffic, the lights are on but you don't hear the siren, your windows are up. The emergency vehicle is directly behind you. 

You panic you don't know what to do. 

This is a problem that first responders face every single day, a driver who doesn't know what to do. 

It is simple.

Move over.... Protect us all!

New vehicles have noise reduction capabilities that make the inside of a vehicle virtually silent despite any noise outside a vehicle.  Advances in materials and design have isolated vehicles operators from their environment. 

The "sudden" appearance of an emergency vehicle startles the driver and they panic and in a lot of cases stop their vehicle in a lane or a position that blocks the emergency vehicles' path.

The end result is a delay that causes first responders to take seconds or even minutes longer to respond to emergency calls.

The Ontario Highway Traffic Act clearly defines the responsibility of a driver on the roads of Ontario.

Approaching, following emergency vehicles

Stop on approach of vehicle with flashing lights or bell or siren sounding

159.  (1)  The driver of a vehicle, upon the approach of a police department vehicle with its bell or siren sounding or with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light, or upon the approach of an ambulance, fire department vehicle or public utility emergency vehicle with its bell or siren sounding or its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light, shall immediately bring such vehicle to a standstill,

(a) as near as is practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection; or

(b) when on a roadway having more than two lanes for traffic and designated for the use of one-way traffic, as near as is practicable to the nearest curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

Slow down on approaching stopped emergency vehicle

(2)  Upon approaching an emergency vehicle with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light that is stopped on a highway, the driver of a vehicle travelling on the same side of the highway shall slow down and proceed with caution, having due regard for traffic on and the conditions of the highway and the weather, to ensure that the driver does not collide with the emergency vehicle or endanger any person outside of the emergency vehicle. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

Same

(3)  Upon approaching an emergency vehicle with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light that is stopped on a highway with two or more lanes of traffic on the same side of the highway as the side on which the emergency vehicle is stopped, the driver of a vehicle travelling in the same lane that the emergency vehicle is stopped in or in a lane that is adjacent to the emergency vehicle, in addition to slowing down and proceeding with caution as required by subsection (2), shall move into another lane if the movement can be made in safety. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

So the emergency vehicle goes past your vehicle and you decide to follow the vehicle.  What can it hurt, if you follow the vehicle you will probably get to your destination faster.

WRONG!!!!!!

Following fire department vehicle

(4)  No driver of a vehicle shall follow in any lane of a roadway at a distance of less than 150 metres a fire department vehicle responding to an alarm. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

Same

(5)  Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) prevents a driver from stopping his or her vehicle and not passing the stopped emergency vehicle if stopping can be done in safety and is not otherwise prohibited by law. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

Offence

(6)  Every person who contravenes subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4) is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable,

(a) for a first offence, to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $2,000; and

(b) for each subsequent offence, to a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $4,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.

Every driver must be aware of their surroundings at all times, when drivers are distracted they don't realize the effect that their distraction has on other individuals, the few seconds or minutes that are lost could cost someone their life. 

That someone could be a person that you know! 

Be aware as a road user, and pay attention to the things that are happening around you.

By watching this video you could save someones life.

Move over... Protect us all!

 

You could save someone's life!!!

So traffic is heavy, and you have to get there.....

You keep looking at the clock and the minutes just tick by.....

9:00…..
9:01…..
9:02…..
9:03…..
9:04…..
9:05.

You are 5 minutes late and you had to be there at 9:00!!!!

If you speed up a bit, what’s the big deal?

It might just get you there a little less late, but in the end you will still be late!!!!


On September 30, 2007, Bill 203 came into effect. This important piece of legislation addresses the issues of speed/stunt driving on Ontario roads, to ensure the safety of all road users, and remove those who put innocent people at risk with bad driving behavior.

As a road using community, drivers have had an ample amount of time to adjust to this new legislation. In reality speed limits have been in effect for years. For years vehicles have been capable of speeds far above our highest posted speed limits.

In my capacity as a traffic enforcement officer, I often stopped individuals for speeding, many of these individuals appeared remorseful, and a few however believed they weren't speeding unless they were at least 20 km/h over the posted limit. Occasionally these offenders are the same individuals who had complained about speeding drivers in the area originally.

Some drivers even offered excuses for committing the infraction.

No matter the reason there is no excuse, even 1 km/h over the speed limit is considered speeding.

The devices that are used to determine your speed are capable of accurately measuring your speed (+/- 1 km/h). These devices cannot be manipulated to falsify or alter your speed, the devices state factual information.

Under the Highway Traffic Act only emergency vehicles can travel above the posted speed limits.

The consequences for being charged with a stunt driving offence 50 km/h or more over the speed limit) begin immediately.

The vehicle you are operating is immediately impounded for seven days and your licence is suspended for seven days.

This amount does not include the $150.00 reinstatement fee that is charged by the Ministry of transportation for you to get your licence reinstated.

The average cost for towing
and storage is $700.00-$1000.00.

Losing your vehicle or your licence is not the only things you will have to deal with. You will also be subject to a $10,000 fine which is an increase from the nominal $1000 fine that was previously imposed on stunt driving and/or racing. And the minimum fine for a conviction is $2000; therefore street racing and/or stunt driving can be a costly decision if you’re caught and charged.

 

 The other types of fees that you can face are for legal representation, and possible increases to your insurance rates for years to come.
 

Imagine having to face this situation just because you were late…..

Some easy changes that you can make are:

1) Plan ahead (check weather and construction delays on your route).

2) Set your clocks, watches, etc. 10 minutes ahead of the actual time.

3) Use traffic apps on your smartphone or GPS devices that advise you of delays on your route and redirect you enroute (only devices that can be used hands-free).

4) Schedule appointments during off-peak rush hour times.

If you make some of these simple changes you can avoid the possibility of facing these types of issues, and you can arrive at your destination early.

From January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, the Toronto Police Service has issued 381 suspensions for speeding/stunt driving.

You decide your speed, physics decides whether you live or die.

Is it worth becoming a statistic?



Are you one of the Seven Dwarfs?.....Sleepy?

So it is Monday morning, the beginning of a new work week. You have had a great weekend with friends and family, far too much fun and not enough sleep.  The day ahead is full of meetings and you are exhausted.  But you think you will be fine, you have driven to work like this before, it is not a big deal.

YOU ARE WRONG.

Driving requires your full attention, you must be alert at all times, as if someones life depends on it. Well it does.  The 60 kilometer average commute to Toronto from the suburbs takes over an hour, this is not accounting for any collisions or traffic delays that may occur.  Rush hour traffic is the bane of our existence. As you sit there stuck behind a vehicle, and you haven't moved in 30 seconds or you are at a traffic light and have been sitting still for a minute. Your eyes start to get heavy, you think that you can shut them for a few seconds, it's not a big deal.

YOU ARE WRONG.

Everyone deals with schedules that are far too busy, and there are not enough hours in the day to get things done.  Shopping, taking the kids to extracurricular activities appointments and any of 100 other things.  So you stay up later getting that work done, sacrificing your sleep trying to free up time for other things you need to do.  You will just get more sleep on the weekend, make up for the sleep you have missed, it's not a big deal.

YOU ARE WRONG.

Adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can lead to serious health issues and put your safety and the safety of individuals around you at risk. Lack of sleep is also associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle collisions and other serious health concerns.

I ask you, do you want to be responsible for the injury or death of a person?

You are probably thinking that it won't happen to you.

YOU ARE WRONG.

A person who suffers a microsleep episode is usually unaware of it, or believes that they just weren't paying attention.  

A microsleep is an episode of sleep which may last for a fraction of a second or up to thirty seconds.

Microsleeps can be caused by a number of things and sleep deprivation is one of them. Microsleep episodes can be very dangerous when they occur while operating a vehicle. Assume a vehicle is travelling on a highway at 100 km/h (27.7 meters per second) and an individual suffers an episode that lasts 30 seconds, it would be the equivalent of driving a vehicle blindfolded for 831 meters.

Is that a chance you want to take?

If you find yourself in a situation where you are exhausted and are getting drowsy while operating a vehicle, find a safe place to stop so you can take a nap. Let your family know that you are stopping and will be late so they are not concerned for your well being.

The safest choice would be to find a hotel or motel and stay the night.

Be a responsible road user, help yourself to be a safer, more productive person and do your part to keep everyone safe.



CS~

Driving in the rain

Well, apparently Mother nature doesn't think that we've had enough rain this spring.  April showers bring May rain and probably June down pours at the rate we're going.

There is a lot of standing water on our roads and pathways and over the next couple of days, it is expected to get worse.  So here is a reminder about driving in wet weather.

Wet Weather Driving Tips

How you drive can obviously make a significant impact on wet-weather safety. Be alert to the situation around you, including what other drivers are doing and how they are reacting to conditions. One of the best ways to avoid collisions is to always be prepared for the actions of others that will affect you.

• Leave yourself more time. Knowing that the drive will take longer prepare ahead of time by leaving for where you need to be earlier, don't try to make up time on the roads...it doesn't work and is very dangerous.
• Slow down before you encounter a problem, and be aware that your tires less grip available for stopping, steering and accelerating. Remember: Even four-wheel-drive and anti-lock brakes can't change the laws of physics.
• Never use your cruise control.
• Even a new tire can begin to hydroplane on wet surfaces, so watch your speed. If the steering begins to feel light and the car is splashing through deep puddles, gently reduce your throttle to allow the car to slow to a more manageable speed. Don't lift off the gas pedal abruptly or hit the brakes, since this could unsettle the tires' grip on the wet surface.
• Don’t drive your car through deep water on a flooded road. You simply cannot tell how deep the water is. It doesn't take much water to disable your vehicle or even float it off of the road surface. If you have any doubt about water depth, stop and go back the way you came.
• Use the speeds on your windshield wipers to help remove the amount of water that is hitting the windshield. This sounds simple, but some people forget that at higher road speeds you need higher wiper speeds.
• Be aware of the spray coming from passing trucks and oncoming cars. It may blind you temporarily, so anticipate this by turning on (or increasing the speed of) your wipers and by looking at what's happening to cars ahead of you.
• Turn down the radio and turn off your cell phone. Driving in heavy rain demands greater attention.
• If conditions become too intense, pull far off the road to a parking lot or side street and wait it out.
• If you travel through deep standing water lightly apply your brakes for a moment to dry them.

Preparing Your Car

If you are serious about driving in wet conditions, there are several things you can do to prepare your car:

• Make sure your wiper blades are like-new and that they still have a sharp wiping edge.
• Clean your wiper blades by running a damp cloth along their edges from time to time to remove the build-up of oils and debris that the wipers have removed from the windshield.
• Clean the interior and exterior glass surfaces of your vehicle.
• If your windshield is heavily pitted, it might be time for a replacement. Nothing lets you see better than a new windshield.
• Make sure that your headlights and taillights are working properly and that their lenses are clean and your turn on your full lighting package, not just day time running lights.
• Make sure your tires are inflated to manufacturer's specifications and have sufficient tread. To measure the tread use the ‘Bluenose Test’: place a dime in the tire’s groove with the Bluenose’s Sails facing down . If you can see the top of the Bluenose mass and sails, then your tires have sailed long enough and needs replacing. However, this test will not work with performance or off-road tires.

Considerations

Don't drive through standing water when pedestrians or cyclists are nearby.  It's bad enough getting wet because of the rain...getting a waterfall thrown at you is just cruel.

Be aware a cyclist may move out of the curb area due to standing water.  No one should drive into standing water for safety reasons, so give them room and know that it is their right as a vehicle on the road to occupy a full lane when necessary.

Be Safe

The biggest factor in safe wet-weather driving is you and your judgment. When visibility drops and the roads become flooded, only you can tell when it is time to pull off and take a break. Sure, it may take you a bit longer to reach your destination, but in the end, the few minutes spent to be safe will be worth it.

Alternatives to Driving

Public transit is the best choice to avoid the need for driving in wet weather. Leave the driving up to someone else.

Pedestrian collision prevention - Education, Awareness and Responsibility

My daughters are in the thick of learning how to read right now.  Some words they see and say, some they sound out and get right, while others they just can’t find the ways yet to put the sounds together and miss it completely.

When that happens, I have a choice to make.  Do I help them with the word or just ignore their mistakes and let them go on repeating their errors?  I mean, at their age, who really cares…it’s not like they are reading anything that can be the difference between passing their grade or failing…yet.  But I can assure you, if their errors aren’t pointed out, it will make a huge difference someday.  As painful as it may be, pointing out their errors is in their best interest for long-term success.

It’s a lot like pedestrian safety.  My partner and I had a very busy day answering media questions about the ‘sudden spike’ in pedestrian collisions over the last 48 hours.  (If you go back to just before Halloween, we were warning people that this was going to happen.)

The media wanted to know who is to blame, who is at fault, why is this happening and why people aren’t getting the message.  So we responded to the questions.

Who is to blame?

Simple…road users.

Who is at fault?

Simple…road users who aren’t aware, alert and observant.

Why is this happening?

Human error, distraction, environment, daylight savings time, clothing choices, ambient light, on and on.

Why aren’t people getting the message?

No answer from me…I guess you would have to ask the people who are causing the problems.

You see, road safety is everyone’s responsibility.  Plain and simple.  Everyone who uses the roads plays a role in the ensuring safety for themselves and for the other road users around them.

When a pedestrian is stuck by a vehicle, the pedestrian will always be on the losing end.  The easy thing to do would be to blame the driver for not doing their part in ensuring the safety of the pedestrian.  But, sometimes that is not the right thing to do, nor is it ever the proper thing to do for long term success of reducing collisions, injury and death.

A pedestrian who isn’t watching where they are going, disobeying traffic signals, impeding traffic, wearing dark clothes at night, crossing mid-block is not doing anything to help keep our roads safe.  They aren’t doing anything to keep themselves safe.

A driver who is distracted, travelling too fast for conditions, not looking where they need to be, impaired, etc,  is not doing anything to help keep our roads safe.  They aren’t doing anything to keep themselves safe and they aren’t doing anything to keep pedestrians safe.

A pedestrian who crosses a street mid-block at night wearing dark clothing, texting, where street lights are burnt out while listening to an MP3 player is doing nothing in terms of taking personal responsibility for their own safety.  According to many people today, I should ignore that and never point things out like that because I could be blaming the ‘victim’ (I’ll get to that in a minute).

You bet I’m going to point that out!

Now, what if a car strikes that pedestrian?  You bet I’m going to question why the driver didn’t see the pedestrian.  I’m going to ask about the speed, the lighting the location, the sight lines, the environment.  I’m going to point out that each road user has responsibility for one another.

Interviews

This whole post is because of how interviews are turned into reports.  You can be sure that when PC Hugh Smith and I are interviewed we look at all angles of any incident and where there is a safety message to any category of road user, driver, cyclist, pedestrian or transit user, we include it.

Anytime there are two people involved, each of their actions will be analyzed.  If there is any message that we can bring to light to help educate and raise awareness, we’ll bring it up.

But, no matter what we say, we do not have the last word.  It is always up to the reporters to file and even then, editors and producers have their opportunity to massage a report.  So the final copy rarely tells the whole story.

So when you read or watch, understand that there is way more information that doesn’t make a story than does.

Victim

In traffic safety, we avoid referring to anyone as a victim.  Since a pedestrian is considered a vulnerable road user, (none or little protection), people naturally refer to them as the victim.  They do get the worst of it after all. We refer to them as the injured party. Simply stated they are not always the victim.  A pedestrian that steps onto the roadway into the path of the car, not allowing the driver any opportunity to avoid striking that pedestrian can very successfully be argued as the actually the victim of someone else’s action.  Sure the pedestrian is going to be on the losing end.

All the parties involved are victimized in one manner or another.  Our society as a whole can be argued as the victims.  Because of a bad crash, roads get closed, transportation flow is compromised, people miss meetings, goods are delayed, infrastructure suffers, etc…we are all victims. 

In the end, if our road safety messaging is interpreted as placing blame, then so be it.  I would rather point out the mistakes that have led to road tragedies in an effort to educate others from making the same mistakes then to ignore the obvious and allow the same mistakes to be perpetuated.

So, that’s my view. What are yours? Agree, disagree? Let me know.  The communication is what creates awareness and education.  Thanks for reading.

Speed Trap Capital of the World

Wow, what an amazing amount of attention Toronto got this week after it was revealed on a website that we are the Speed Trap Capital of the World!!

It was a very busy 24 hours after that news broke, but what exactly does it mean? 250 locations (give or take) on the list, crowd sourced information, not really verified and what do they class as a speed trap?

Lets kick this off by talking about traps:

• a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned

• drain consisting of a U-shaped section of drainpipe that holds liquid and so prevents a return flow of sewer gas

• something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unaware; "the exam was full of trap questions"; "it was all a snare and delusion"

• a device to hurl clay pigeons into the air for trapshooters

• place in a confining or embarrassing position; "He was trapped in a difficult situation"

• ambush: the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise

• catch in or as if in a trap; "The men trap foxes"

• informal terms for the mouth

• a light two-wheeled carriage

So I guess we can agree that there is no way what we are doing can be considered traps.

Posted speed limits, uniforms, equipment, cars, motorcycles...any decent driver that is

observant and scanning their route of travel surely has to see the police enforcement. Often times, other stopped cars can even be a clue. One prominent driving advocate even stated he has seen as many as eight officers at a location…not much of a ‘trap’.

Who is in control of the speed of a vehicle? The passenger? The other cars? The pedestrians? Nope…it’s the driver. Gas pedal for faster, brake pedal for slower. What is the incentive for the drivers to speed? Tickets, possible insurance rate hikes, demerit points, loss of license, etc. Or is the incentive to avoid tickets? By doing something crazy like, I don’t know…travelling the speed limit.

Road safety is based on three simple tenants.

• Education
• Awareness
• Enforcement

(You can add in engineering but that’s not in law enforcements hands).

Folks, we do enforcement based in one simple principal…safety. We educate and raise awareness so that we can avoid the enforcement. But, there will always be some people who choose to risk all our safety in one manner or another. We will always be there to address them appropriately.

If you combine all other crimes committed you would not come close to devastation and societal impacts that traffic related incidents have on us. You are far more likely to be in a collision than you are to be the victim of violence. Go to any community meeting, town hall meeting and you are sure to find that traffic related matters (speeding and parking in particular) top the list of concerns of the community.

Two of the main ways we determine locations are:

• Community generated concerns reported to us asking for our help making their neighbourhoods safer
• Crash analysis that has indicated a need for enforcement/education/awareness

One of the things this list indicates to me is how plugged in and tech savvy Toronto is. You have given that site more locations that New York, LA and Montreal residents combined. Way to go.

I can’t believe how many of those locations I’ve actually stood in ‘beaming’ the traffic. Some of them though…don’t think they were actually speed enforcement locations, bit more likely officers sitting at the side of the road doing reports and passerby’s have fed the locations as a radar spot.

So, thank you Toronto for helping us spread the word and show the world how committed the Toronto Police Service is to road safety. We have made it a priority <-(PDF) for several years now in an effort to reduce collisions, injuries and death in Toronto.

Interesting fact…Los Angeles is about 2X the size (population) of Toronto and has about 2X more sworn officers. According the Speed Trap Site, we have about 2X more locations than them.

In 2008 (last published numbers for LA) they had 234 fatalities…Toronto had 54.

So let me know are there any areas that you particularly like? Any locations you would like to add to the list? Let me know. Love to hear from you.

Do we tolerate too many traffic deaths?

This is the title of a New York Times article from May 27, 2010. Some of the people who I receive regular updates from their writings and agencies were interviewed for the article.

I don't respond to a many articles I read but this one I felt compelled to. The reason? This is a topic that I agree completely with. We DO tolerate too many traffic deaths.

Here is my response. (#41 of the comment section.) Does that mean I can say that I have been published in the NYT?!?

Do we tolerate too many traffic deaths? Yes we do!

I fail to see why there is a debate with this issue. One death on our roads is one too many. The goal of zero deaths is honourable, but not likely. Having said that, any progress to attaining that goal is worthwhile and necessary.

Recently the world went into a sate of panic and fear based on a disease that killed a few hundred people and was classified as a pandemic. Governments were throwing obscene amounts of money towards the prevention, treatment and education for the public and health officials.

Yet, the pandemic numbers of injured and dead from the H1N1 globally did not come close to the number of injured and dead in any civilized nation.

You can argue cause and reason, factors and formulas or environment and engineering all you want. The common denominator is human behaviour which leads to human error. The worlds safest roadways can become filled with the bodies of dead and injured by the factor of disregarding simple safety and common sense rules while the worst roads travelled with awareness, adherence to laws, operating within safety guides for the conditions and alert behaviours can be injury and death free.

I believe the media, insurance companies, governments and law enforcement bears the burden of one major problem in the acceptance of road deaths and injuries. The term accident became part of the vernacular of describing collisions and crashes somewhere along the way and has cemented itself there.

Accident makes the liability, blame and cause of collisions minimal at best and creates an escape clause for those responsible for the event. I saw an insurance company website recently that promoted a "responsibility project" that used the term accident all through their material. If any industry has a reason to put blame and fault where it belongs, its the insurance industry.

Collisions are predictable and preventable. Drive distracted, impaired, fatigued, aggressive, unaware or unskilled and you will cause injuries and or death.

Do we tolerate too many traffic deaths? Yes we do. One person with one gun and fifteen bullets on a rampage would be national headlines for days/months. That persons actions, background, triggers, soci-economic status and position n society would make for grand headlines and debate.

One person with one car driving impaired or aggressive, distracted or unskilled has at any given moment in a city or urban environment, the potential to kill many, many more people, but yet we respond with barely a raised eyebrow at that person being arrested or crashing without incident.

Last point. Think of the money that is directed to health care and the legal industries from the results of collisions. Billions of dollars to treat the injured, facilitate long term disability changes, prosecute accused persons, incarcerate those and pay for the ensuing law suits. I have no idea how much money is directed to just those two ares, but suffice to say; could you imagine how many hungry children could be fed with that money. How many seniors could receive better and more adequate health care. How many veterans could be honourably be taken care of for their service to our countries. The laundry list of positive uses of the redirection of those monies is long and far better for the overall good of our communities.

Do we tolerate too many traffic deaths? Yes, sadly we do. So lets stop tolerating them. Train better drivers, punish those appropriately who endanger public safety, place the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those that deserve it and treat the totality of event for what they are...an ongoing pandemic.

Sgt. Tim Burrows
Toronto Police Service - Traffic Services

For the article click here.

Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel, via Associated Press

Baby to Booster, Choosing the right child safety seat.

I am often asked about the installation of infant, child and booster seats. I have two advantages over the average person to be able to talk about this.
1.) I'm a police officer that has been trained in the installation and inspection of the various seats and anchoring systems and;
2.) I'm a parent that at one time had all three systems in my vehicles.
(The joy of having 3 close in age but different in weights)

As a police officer, I have seen the devastation that is done to families from the non-use, improper use or improper installation of the child safety seats.

As a parent, there is nothing more important to me than ensuring that my children are protected as best as possible while travelling in a motor vehicle.

One thing that never fails to surprise me is the panic phone calls from parents on the day they are to take their children home from the hospital needing an emergency installation. Did you not know that you were having a baby in the previous 9 months or so and did you read the instruction manual. I have owned 14 child safety seats from 6 different manufacturers. All of them came with excellent step by step instructions.

There are three important gauges to consider which child safety system is best for your children.

• Age
• Height
• Weight

All children must be in one form of safety seat. Infant rear facing/forward facing, toddler forward facing and child booster.

The driver of a motor vehicle is responsible for occupants under the age of 16 to be restrained properly. As the driver you may be charged with several offences for not having the occupants restrained. In Ontario there is a simple law that applies, one person, one seat belt.

Infants

Newborn babies and infants require special protection while in a vehicle. In a collision, using properly installed rear-facing car

seats can save your child's life.

Infant car seats should face the back of the vehicle, rest at a 45-degree angle and move no more than 2.5 cm (1 in.) where the seat belt or Universal Anchorage System (UAS) strap is routed through the child car seat.

If necessary, use a towel or a foam bar (pool noodle) under the base of the child car seat to adjust the angle. Harness straps should sit at or below a baby's shoulders. You should not be able to fit more than one finger underneath the harness straps at the child's collarbone. The chest clip should be flat against the chest at armpit level.

When the child outgrows the maximum height and weight of his/her infant seat, you may require a convertible rear-facing seat until your child is ready to be facing forward. The law requires using a rear-facing car seat until the baby is at least 9 kilograms (20 lb.)

The law is a minimum requirement. It’s best to keep your child rear-facing until they are at least one year old or until they have reached either the maximum height or weight limits of the rear-facing seat.

• Birth to 9 kg (20 lb.)
• Rear-facing seat
• Use away from an active airbag

My Personal Tips: 80 to 90 % of all infant installations are done improperly. The number one problem that we have seen...people are afraid to snug it down. I always put a knee in the seat and all my weight on the seat when I was securing my children's seats. There can not be more than 1" of movement in any direction. Yes, this requires some flexibility on your part, but it's your children we are talking about...do what you have to.

Toddlers
A child can start riding facing forward when he or she is at least 9

kg (20 lb.).

To prevent the car seat from moving forward and causing injury in a collision, it is important to use the tether strap exactly as the manufacturer recommends. If your vehicle does not have a tether anchor in place, contact a dealership to have one installed.

To install a forward-facing car seat, fasten the tether strap, then use your body weight to tighten and fasten the seat belt or Universal Anchorage System (UAS) strap.

Ensure that the shoulder straps are at or above the child's shoulders. Straps should be snug, with only one finger width between the strap and the child's chest. Avoid using aftermarket car seat products. They can become projectiles or may have hard or sharp surfaces that can hurt the child in a collision.

• 9 to 18 kg (20-40 lb.)
• Forward-facing seat
• Use with a tether strap

My Personal Tips: Same as for the rear facing...put your weight in there when you snug it down. Double check the installation at least once per week.

Pre-school to 8 years old
The law requires booster seats for children who have outgrown a child car seat but are too small for a regular seat belt.

Booster seats are required for children under the age of eight, weighing 18 kg or more but less than 36 kg (40-80 lb.) and who stand less than 145 cm (4 feet-9 inches) tall.

• A child can start using a seat belt alone once any one of the following criteria is met:
  child turns eight years old
• child weighs 36 kg (80 lb.)
• child is 145 cm (4 feet-9 inches) tall.

Seat belts are designed to protect adults. Booster seats raise the child up so that the adult seat belt works more effectively. Booster seats protect against serious injury 3 ½ times better than seat belts alone.

A lap and shoulder combination belt must be used with all booster seats. Your child's head must be supported by the top of the booster, vehicle seat or headrest. The shoulder strap must lie across the child's shoulder (not the neck or face) and middle of the chest, and the lap belt must cross low over the hips (not the stomach/abdomen). Never use seat belt adjusters.

• Between 18 and 36 kg (40—80 lb.)
• Booster seat
• Use with lap and shoulder belt

My Personal Tips: 1.) WATCH THEM. My children love to move the shoulder belt under their arms or right down to where the lap portion sits. I guess it gives them more range of motion to try and infuriate each other with touching and bugging. Gentle reminders are fun...locking clips are priceless. 2.) Don't be in a hurry to move them out...they do offer a great deal of added protection. It is better to be safe than sorry. If they are on the edge, let them stay put.

For tips on installation, visit the Ministry of Transportation Website by clicking here.

For more information from the Toronto Police Service on Child safety seats, click here.

For Child Safety Seat Inspection Information by the Toronto Police Service call 416-808-1975.

Information was provided in part by the MTO. Images courtesy of SafeKids.

What do you think? Have you had trouble installing child seats or have a story about how they protected your children. Let me know. Comments are welcomed!!

Life or Death...Which one do you want?

A couple of weeks ago, the Toronto Police took part in the Provincial Spring Seat Belt Campaign. We do this every year to support our other policing and safety partners to raise awareness, educate the public and of course give out some tickets. (Yes, there is your opportunity to tell me that this is just another cash grab, revenue generating program...but before you do that remember, its your choice if you want a ticket or not.)

One of our major points of focus this year was child safety seats. Through several inspection

clinics that we run every year across Toronto we regular see 80 to 90 percent of child seats that are installed incorrectly.

As a police officer, I have seen first hand the importance. You only need to see the pain in a parents face as their child is attended to by medical staff because they suffered injuries which could have been prevented had their child been properly restrained. As a father I know the importance of ensuring my children are always restrained properly in their child safety seats.

The biggest problem that I have seen about improper car seat installations is that they are simply not in tight enough. Parents put the seat belts around the seat or the latch system in place snug it down and then that's it. What about when the child gets in the seat? Do you not think their weight will create extra movement on the seat since it is no longer snug?

So, when you put your seat in, put your weight on it...pull the belts tight. Once your weight is out of it, the seat won't move. Some parents have told me that they are afraid of putting wight in it because they don't want to break it! Come on, let it break then as opposed to in a crash. (The reality is it won't break).

One of the most frustrating calls we receive is from a frantic father who has been told that he can't take his child home from the hospital because he doesn't have a proper car seat. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS...Didn't have enough time?

You can call 416-808-1975 to get information on child seat inspection clinics that are near you.

The last thing I want to talk about is what a seat belt is designed to do. It is not designed to save your life or prevent injuries. It is designed to keep you in your car and in your seat.

• Does it save lives? YES
• Does it reduce injuries? YES
• Have people died while wearing them? YES
• Have people been injured while wearing them? YES

Have less people been killed and have less injuries occurred? YES

The law is:

• One belt / one person
• All under 16 must be belted (driver responsible)
• Lap and shoulder belt must be worn properly
• All seat belts must function if someone is sitting in that spot

There are no exemptions for:

• "I was only going a short distance."
• "I just got back in the car after a quick stop."
• "But, my kids were acting up."
• "This is the first time I haven't worn it."

If you are on the road, your belt has to be on your body. If your children are in the car, they have to be secured in their properly installed seats.

Which price would you rather pay? Death or injury. Life or death, which one do you want?

Want to leave a comment? Agree, disagree? Let me know what you think. What if Health Care refused to cover you for injuries that were caused by the lack of use of a sat belt...like going through the windshield.

Similar Posts

Child Seat Inspection Clinic

Provincial Seat Belt Campaign

Amber Lights...MEAN STOP!!

A couple of weeks ago, I was waiting to cross a fairly large intersection. I was crossing on foot from the south to the north. I watched the east/west lights signal to amber. Like I always have, I watched the vehicles that A.) needed to continue through the intersection, B.) the ones that should have stopped and C.) the ones that were stopped waiting to turn do so, and then D.) finally the dance of danger was complete when the red light runners made their way through.

A few hours later I watched it all unfold, but this time as a driver, not a pedestrian. 3 cars turned on the amber. 1 in the intersection, 1 on the stop line, 1 from behind the stop line. A pedestrian crossing had to hold for the last car to clear before hustling his butt across the road.

So once I got to my destination, I Tweeted this:

I received several comments that indicated to me that some education was required so here it is.

Ontario Highway Traffic Act, Section 144 covers the following information regarding Amber Lights:

Amber light

(15) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular amber indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle if he or she can do so safely, otherwise he or she may proceed with caution. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (15).

Amber arrow

(16) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing an amber arrow indication only or in combination with another indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle if he or she can do so safely, otherwise he or she may proceed with caution to follow the direction shown by the amber arrow indication. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (16).

Flashing amber

(17) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a flashing circular amber indication and facing the indication may proceed with caution. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (17)

Pretty simple, if its amber, your first priority is to stop safely. 2nd, if you can't stop safely, you must proceed with caution.

So in the simplest of terms, an amber light means STOP. Most people see it only as warning that the light is about to change red so they take the chance that they can make it through. We have seen so many collisions because of that mentality. Drivers waiting to turn figuring they have to clear the intersection and the drivers coming towards them assume that they will make it on the amber. The driver making the turn can't move until they are sure that the turn can be made safely. I have investigated many collisions like this and the turning driver believes that they had the right of way because they had to get out of the intersection. (Another blog post at another time).

But, here is something hardly anyone knows. Failing to stop for an amber light, used to carry the same penalties as red light offences. Cost to you for a failing to stop for amber? $180 + 3 demerit points. ( Just recently red light offences monetary penalty increased.)

Specific Situation - Turns

Technically, you can not enter an intersection unless you can clear that intersection in one motion without impeding other traffic (which includes pedestrians and cyclists).

We all know that when you are turning left, you enter the intersection, wait for oncoming traffic to clear and then turn...after looking to make sure your path is clear (which includes pedestrians and cyclists).

What happens when the light turns amber? Well, since you are in the intersection you have to clear it. So once it is safe to do so, you clear. But, what we often see is four or five more cars that were waiting use the amber time to turn, which usually also means the red light time. This is dangerous and leads to reduced traffic flow as the cross traffic has to wait for you to clear.

If you are stopped behind the stop line, you CAN NOT PROCEED on an amber. Offence? Yes, Amber light, fail to stop or what normally happens...Red Light, proceed before green because the light has changed. (On a side note...I used to camp out and lay those charges at many intersections downtown. Ever drive from SB University to EB Adelaide?)

So here is the big conclusion:

Amber Light = Stop if safe to do so

Red Light = Stop

Green Light = Proceed with caution, if safe to do so

Whats your thought on this? Is there anymore clarification required? Tell me if you have been in any of those situations.