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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-10-26, Page 40SIIf hldren : dye . particuf arly vulnerable ae r ellpecitiiIY 110*udden slop ort eh. And,a.hasn't seen cars ming by with yousters standing on the seat, hanging out the . window or lying .on the back window shelf. Well, on November 1 these potentially dangerous situations should be greatly curtailed as some 90,000 toddlers now travelling unrestrained in a motor vehicle, are required by Ontario law to be placed in car seats designed to hold them safely and securely. From that date, toddlers between 9 and 18 kg (20410 lbs.) must be in an ap- propriate, approved car seat while travell- ing in their parents' or legal guardian's caro or in a lap belt if in someone else's car. They must be restrained in a front - facing seat, preferably in the back of the car, with the harness straps done up and the seat secured by a lap belt and tether strap. The tether strap is particularly impor- tant because it prevents the seat from pit- ching forward or sideways in a sudden stop or crash. It requires a bolt to be securely fastened into the back shelf or floor, direct- ly behind the child seat. For parents looking for a car seat, there are different kinds available in a variety of stores and all meet federal standards. It's particularly important to look for an approved car seat since other seats design- ed -for use in the home are often available in the same location in a store. However, such seats which are usually cheaper than a car seat, are not designed as car seats and do not provide the necessary protection. Because of the variety of seats available, the appropriate one can only be chosen by parents after careful considera- tion as to which best suits them and their child. Y-. d mandatary Ndvem -For example, the seat•must fit easily in- to the car and the halmess buckle must be conyeniient to do'inland undo. If the buckle is a struggle, parents may not take the time to buclrle their child in properly. Seats also come in a variety of widths and heights so it's well to remember youngsters spend many months in bulky snowsuits and choose accordingly. Choosing an appropriate seat is impor- Harness in a Seat tent, but equally important is following the manufacturer's instructions as to in- stallation and use. Lives have been lost because these seats have not been used properly. The facts speak for themselves. An 18 -month old child was killed in- stantly when thrown from a car in an acci- dent. Mute testimony to what might have been had he been properly buckled in, was the seat which remained, intact and un- damaged, in the car. In another case, a 22 -month old child died of severe head injuries - in spite of be- ing securely strapped in the proper seat. An investigation revealed the seat was not secured to the car by either a lap belt or a tether strap. These are examples of cases where children have been killed and do not reflect the tragedy of those who have been severely injured or maimed for life. Perhaps the saddest fact is that small children are particularly prone to head in- juries and can be left brain damaged and helpless for life after a car accident. In 1982, ten children under four years of age were killed in Ontario traffic accidents and 1,324 were injured. Even though the law covering infant restraints only went into effect, on November 1, 1982, these figures are considerably better than cor- responding figures for 1981 when 20 were killed and 1,595 were injured. Hopefully, as parents comply with the law which now requires all children to be properly restrained, these figures will im- prove even more, and the heartbreak and suffering hidden in such stark statistics will be greatly lessened. The Ontario law regarding car seats was introduced in two stage: first for the newborn and preschooler on November 1, 1982 and now for the toddler. This was done to allow pare ts, with several small children, time to a orb the cost of outfitting their youngsters with the appropriate car seats. Thus, for almost a year now, ' ants up to 9 kg (20 lbs.) have been r uired to travel at all times in a rear-fac. g Enfant carrier or the infant position of a converti- ble seat designed for both infan and tod- dlers. Infants must be fastened into their seat using the total harness strap and the seat must be securely anchored by a lap belt. Harness Alone Where can 1 get parts for my car? 0,WLINTON AUTO PARTS— � 4111 —LTD.bra— � We w°oACOMP -,�a�°�ess �inr�s We also offer BRAKE LAME SERVICE 'COME E 4CN/NESNOP SERIIICE CONE INANO SEE OUR UNE OFTOOIS 4$ King Street, Clinton r From the staff at Clinton Auto Parts - "Safe rfrrrnr Driving this winter" From Left to Right... Dean Reid Colleen Cox Larry Gibbings Norma Preszcator John Dixon Absent - Rhonda Johnston CLINTON AUTO PARTS LTD. THE RAD SHOP 46 KING ST. CLINTON 653-9393 •Rseim lir, ell ems, frocks sad leis gi 1pwatt •NNMr Ramis (Wow Alf G.Jllat1q gtlpwtnf glow ONCaws - RtNOld t Rtp/n FREE MINXES CLINTON AUTO PARTS LTD. AUTOMOTIVE • TRUCK • FARM IMPLEMENT PARTS OPEN: Monday -Friday • a.m.-S:30 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 482-3934 THE RAD SHOP 482-9393 And primers, between 18 and 23 kg (40 to 50 *bs:3, ,Lust besecured by a lap belt. If they prefer to be raised so they can see out the window, preschoolers have the option of using a properly buckled up booster seat. Drivers are responsible for ensuring children up to 16 years of age are either in an appropriate child seat or properly buckled up in lap belts or full seat belts. Older teenagers and adults are responsible for buckling themselves in. Now everyone froth newborns to senior citizens is covered by Ontario's child restraint and seat belt laws. Shield Type Cut home utility costs About eight percent of all the energy us- ed in the United States goes into running electrical home appliances, so appliance use and selection can make a considerable difference in home utility costs. Buying an energy-efficient appliance may cost a bit more initially, but that ex- pense is more than made up by reduced operating costs over the lifetime of the ap- pliance. Energy efficiency may vary con- siderably though models seem similar. The federal appliance labeling program makes it easier to judge the energy effi- ciency of appliances. You will find a number of tips on how, to save energy when buying or using ap- pliances in other sections of this booklet, but here are a few general ideas to con- sider. •Don't leave your appliances running when they're not in use. It's a total waste of energy. Remember to turn off your radio, TV or record player when you leave the room. •Keep appliances in good working order so they will last longer, work more effi- ciently, and use less energy. •When buying appliances, read labels carefully. Compare energy use informa- tion and operating costs of similar models by the same and different manufacturers. The retailer should be able to help you find the wattage of the appliance. •Before buying new appliances with special features, find out how much energy they use compared with other, perhaps less convenient models. A frost -free refrigerator for example, uses more energy than one you have to defrost manually. It also costs more to purchase. The energy and dollars you can save with a manual -defrost model may be worth giving up the convenience. •Use appliances wisely; use the one that takes the least amount of energy for the job. For example: toasting bread in the oven uses three times more energy than toasting it in a toaster. •Don't use energy -consuming special features on your appliances if you have an alternative. For example, don't use the "instant -on" feature of your TV set. "Instant -on" sets, especially the tube types, use energy even when the screen is dark. Use the "vacation switch," if you have one, to eliminate this waste; plug the set into an outlet that is controlled by a wall switch; or have your TV service man in- stall an additional on-off switch on the set itself or in the cord to the wall outlet.