Passengers and motorists are required by law to wear a seat belt in Alberta, and children must use an approved child safety seat.  

Child seats

By law in Alberta, children under the age of 6 who weigh 18 kg (40 lbs) or less must be in a child safety seat.

It's the law in Alberta that a driver must ensure children under the age of 16 are properly restrained. In addition, research has found that child safety seats can reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury by around 60 to 70%. Your child needs to use the most appropriate child safety seat to get the most safety benefit. Visit the Government of Alberta website to learn which type of seat is best for your child: rear-facing, front-facing, or booster seats.  

Checking for proper installation 

Not sure if your car seat has been installed right in your vehicle? Take these steps to ensure kids are the safest they can be: 

1. Read the directions that came with the car seat. If you cannot find them, they may be available online.
    
2. Visit the Government of Alberta's page for tips on installing a child safety seat.
    
3. If you have questions, you can:  
   a) Book an appointment with a trained car seat safety technician.
   Call Enforcement Services at 780-449-0170 (press 2 for service).
   
   b) Visit to a car seat clinic. These are scheduled events throughout the year when you can drive to our event and have your car seat checked. Dates and times are announced here, and on social media.  

Seat belts

Drivers and passengers must wear a seat belt. It's the law.

Did you know it's the driver's responsibility to ensure:

• Children younger than 6 who weigh 18kg (40lbs) or less are in a properly installed child restraint and
• Children aged 6 to 15 (or children younger than 6 who weigh more than 18kg/40lbs) are wearing a seat belt.

Seat belts must be worn properly adjusted, securely fastened and cannot be removed from the vehicle or modified.

For more information, visit the Government of Alberta website to learn about the seat belt law.  

Other resources

Safety alerts and notices for child car seats
Visit the Government of Canada's page for safety alerts and notices for child car seats

Need to dispose a car seat? 
Use the Strathcona County Waste Wizard online tool to check your options.

Want more information on travelling safely in Alberta?
Visit Alberta traffic safety for laws, guidelines and resources to help drivers improve safety on Alberta roads. 

Book an appointment