Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Northwest Territories

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain the driver's responsibility for young passengers.
• You can choose the right type of child seat for a child's age and weight.
• You can list which devices count as restricted electronic devices.
• You can state the fine, demerit points and suspensions for distracted driving.

What you need to know and understand

• The driver must make sure every passenger under 15 is properly restrained.
• A child who weighs less than 18 kg (40 lb) must ride in an approved child restraint used as the manufacturer directs, and a baby under 9 kg must ride rear-facing.
• A child over 18 kg must use the vehicle seatbelt, and a booster seat is strongly recommended.
• Child seats used in Canada must carry a label showing they meet Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213.
• Using a handheld electronic device while driving is illegal; holding, operating or touching it counts as use.
• The fine is $322, or $644 in school and construction zones, plus 3 demerit points.
• A 2nd, 3rd and 4th distracted driving offence within two years brings licence suspensions of 24 hours, 7 days and 30 days.
• Class 5P drivers may not carry more passengers than there are seatbelts.

Buckling up everyone

Everyone in the vehicle should wear a seatbelt on every trip, however short. If a passenger under 15 is not properly restrained, the driver can be fined. For probationary drivers the rule is even tighter: you may not carry more passengers than there are seatbelts in the car.

Wear the lap belt low across your hips and the shoulder belt across your chest, never under your arm or behind your back.

Choosing the right child seat

• Birth onward: rear-facing infant or convertible seat until the child reaches the maker's limit.
• When developmentally ready, at roughly 9 to 18 kg: forward-facing seat secured with the seatbelt or the universal anchor system, plus the top tether.
• Over 18 kg: the vehicle seatbelt, with a booster seat strongly recommended.
• Always install the seat following both the vehicle and seat manufacturers' instructions, and check for the CMVSS 213 label.

Phones and other devices

Restricted electronic devices include cellphones, devices for sending or receiving data, audio and video players and handheld GPS units. Laptops count too. Holding, operating or touching one while driving is an offence.

For a GDL driver the penalty bites hard: two phone tickets add up to 6 demerit points, which triggers a licence suspension and extra time in your stage. Before you set off, set your navigation, choose your music and put the phone out of reach. If you must use it, pull over somewhere safe and legal first. The deeper guide to NWT impaired driving, ignition interlock and demerits explains the points system.

Common mistakes

• Glancing at a text at a red light. You are still driving, and touching the phone counts as use.
• Moving a child out of a car seat too early. Follow the weight and age rules and the seat maker's limits.
• Letting a teenage passenger ride unbuckled. As the driver, you are responsible for passengers under 15.
• Squeezing an extra friend into a 5P car with no spare seatbelt.

Test yourself: Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Northwest Territories

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in the NWT
• NWT Driver’s Manual Study Guide
• NWT Impaired Driving, Interlock and Demerits for GDL Drivers