Car Insurance in Alberta

ALBERTA SEAT BELT LAW

About 95% of Albertans wear their seat belts when they travel in their vehicles, whether they are going across the province or across town. While 95% is good, 100% would be great; seat belts save lives and improve the odds of surviving an auto accident.

Seat Belt Rules

There are different rules for proper seat belt use depending on whether the user is an adult, an infant or somewhere in between.

Adults

For the purposes of seat belt use, adults are generally considered to be 12 years of age and older; people who can sit comfortably in the car's seat. Adults older than 16 years of age are responsible for ensuring that passengers under 16 are buckled up properly.

• Seat belts normally consist of a lap belt, which goes across the lap of the occupant, and a shoulder belt, which sits diagonally across one shoulder and meets the lap belt. Adults should ensure that both parts of the belt fit properly:
  • The shoulder belt is worn close against the body, sitting over the shoulder and across the chest. It should never be put under one's arm or behind the back. It is a vital part of the seat belt, and will keep you safer if an accident occurs.
  • The lap belt sits snug against the body, sitting low across the wearer's hips.
• Make sure, before you buckle up, that the seat belt is not twisted. It should sit flat against one's shoulder, chest and lap. If the belt is twisted, it will not protect the wearer as effectively, as the full width of the belt spreads the force of a collision across the body.

Infants

Infants, toddlers and children need to be secured in child safety seats or boosters, appropriate for their age, size, and weight. When restraining an infant in a vehicle, remember:

• Babies are required to sit in a rear-facing child safety seat, and should use this seat until they are:
  • At least one year old
  • Weigh at least 10 kg (22 lb)
  • Walking
• Position the safety seat in the back seat of the vehicle, preferably in the middle. If the vehicle is a truck, and does not have a full back seat, put your baby in the front middle seat. Make sure that, wherever the baby is sitting, there are no airbags, or the airbags have been deactivated.
  • Make sure the safety seat is in a semi-reclined position, providing the best support for the head, neck and back.
  • Use the car seat belt or a Universal Anchorage System (UAS) to secure the seat in the vehicle.
  • The safety seat is secure when it moves less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in any direction.

Toddlers and Young Children

The following guidelines should be followed when securing toddlers in a vehicle:

• Children can move from an infant car seat to a larger one when they:
  • Are older than one year
  • Weigh more than 10 kg (22 lb)
• A car safety seat must be used until the child is at least six years of age.
• Position the seat in the middle back seat of the vehicle. This is the safest spot in the car. If the vehicle is a truck, and doesn't have a full back seat, put the safety seat in the front middle seat. Make sure that, wherever the child is sitting, there are no airbags, or the airbags have been deactivated.
  • If there are two children who require safety seats, position one behind the driver side and one behind the passenger side.
  • The safety seat should sit straight up against the back of the seat of the vehicle. In a crash, forces are distributed along the strongest parts of the body (shoulders, hips, and torso).
  • Use the car seat belt or a Universal Anchorage System (UAS) to secure the seat in the vehicle.
  • The seat should also be secured with a top tether strap. Newer vehicles already have a tether strap installed; if your vehicle does not have one, get one installed by a professional.
  • The safety seat is secure when it moves less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in any direction.
  • At this stage, children can sit facing the front of the vehicle. Facing the rear of the vehicle is still the safest for children, and manufacturers are now making seats for toddlers and children that face the rear and are suitable for children who weigh 16 kg to 18 kg (35 lb to 40 lb).
  • Booster seats: When a child reaches six years of age or weighs more than 18 kg (40 lb), she/he can use a booster seat. Children at this age are too small to use only a seat belt for restraint, as the belt will ride too high on the child's belly and neck, which can result in serious injury in a crash.
• Using a booster seat allows the seat belt to fit safely and correctly, and provides a more comfortable ride.
• The booster seat can be secured using the vehicle's seat belt system.
• It is recommended that a child use a booster seat until she/he is 9 years of age, reaches a weight of 36 kg (80 lb) and a height of 145 cm (4 ft 9 in).
• Once a child has outgrown the booster seat, she/he will be able to use a seat belt only.

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women should buckle up at all times. The seat belt will not harm the baby if used properly. Pregnant women should following these guidelines:

• Both the lap and shoulder belt should always be worn.
• Position the lap belt under the belly and over the hips.
• The lap belt should NEVER sit across the belly.
• The shoulder belt should rest between the breasts, and off to the side of the woman's belly.
• The shoulder belt should never be placed under one's arm.
• If possible, adjust the shoulder belt height to fit correctly.
• Make sure the seat belt fits snugly.
• If a crash occurs, even one that may be considered minor, pregnant women should always see their physician, as there may be a risk of complications.

Not buckling up properly, or modifying or removing seat belts from vehicles can result in a $115 fine and lost demerit points.

Stay up-to-date on Alberta seat belt laws and learn more about seat belt safety. Visit:

• Alberta Occupant Restraint Program
• Alberta Health Services
• MyHealth.Alberta.ca - this website gives tips on making healthy lifestyle choices.

Demerit Points In Alberta

Every driver on the road knows that demerit points are something to avoid. No one wants them on their driver's licence. Demerit points are added to your driver's abstract once you commit an offence. They are not taken away as people commonly believe.

Demerit points, on their own will not affect your insurance, the offence itself does as well as the licence suspension some people get for having accumulated too many demerit points.

Demerit points are added to your driving record upon conviction of the offence. A conviction occurs when you pay the ticket's fine voluntarily or are found by a court to be guilty.

Alberta Demerit Points: Examples

The list of violations that come with demerit points upon conviction is long. The following are a few of the more common offences committed by drivers. In Alberta:

• Speeding will get you anywhere from 2 to 6 demerit points added to your licence, depending on how much over the posted speed limit you are going.
  • Racing will automatically add 6 demerits to your driver's licence.
• If you don't stop for a school bus, you'll be looking at 6 demerit points.
• Failing to yield right-of-way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk or tailgating another vehicle will give you 4 demerit points.
• Driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road, or failing to stop at a stop sign or red light will get you 3 demerit points.
• Making an improper U-turn, failing to signal when changing lanes, and straddling two lanes while driving will each earn you 2 demerit points.

The most demerit points that are added on a single infraction in Alberta is 7, and it is for failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Driver's Licence Demerit Points

Most infractions, upon conviction, will get you between two to four demerit points added to your driving history. View the complete list of infractions and the associated number of demerit points, on the Alberta Transportation website.

Graduated Licences and Demerit Points

Alberta has a graduated driver licensing program. This means that people who are learning to drive will graduate to different stages of probationary driving periods, depending on knowledge and experience, until they are fully-licensed as a Class 5 driver. It takes a minimum of 3 years to complete both stages of Alberta's Graduated Licensing Program.

Beginner drivers can collect demerit points for committing the same infractions as fully-licensed drivers. Since they are still in the learning phases, however, there are infractions that are specific to them that will earn them demerit points also. Drivers still in the graduated licensing program will get demerit points (2) for each of the following:

• Violating curfew,
• Having more passengers than seatbelts, and
• Not having a qualified supervisor with them while driving (a qualified supervisor is someone who is at least 18, fully licensed and sitting in the front seat with the driver.)

Demerit Points Consequences

Drivers with a graduated licence, who collect four to seven demerit points within a two year period will receive a letter regarding the points they have against their driver's licence. At eight demerit points, novice drivers will have their licence suspended.

Experienced (fully licensed drivers with a Class 5) will get a letter with their point standing, after accumulating 8-14 points within 2 years, and will have their licence suspended at 15 demerit points.

For more information:

• Demerit Point System In Alberta
• Alberta Driver's Guide Handbook
• Demerit Points and Consequences
• Driver Licensing
• Graduated Driver Licensing

There is a price to pay for not obeying the rules of the road; demerit points, increased auto insurance rates and even the risk of losing your driving privileges. Taking care on the road is the smart thing to do.