Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Prince Edward Island

By the end of this topic you can

• You can say who is responsible for each passenger's seatbelt.
• You can choose the right restraint for a baby, toddler or young child.
• You can explain when a driver may and may not use a phone.
• You can list the extra device rules for GDL drivers.

What you need to know and understand

• The driver must wear a seatbelt at all times except when reversing.
• Every passenger aged 16 or older is responsible for wearing their own belt; the driver is responsible for every passenger under 16.
• Only one person may use each seatbelt.
• Infants up to 10 kg travel rear-facing; toddlers from 10 to 18 kg use a child seat; children of 18 kg or more use a booster seat until they are over 9 or at least 145 cm tall.
• No driver may hold or use a hand-held phone while driving on a highway. Hands-free use is allowed.
• The province says hand-held use carries 5 demerit points and a fine of $575 to $1,275.
• GDL drivers may not use hand-held phones, headphones, MP3 players or any hand-held electronic device while driving.

Seatbelts: who is responsible

Wear the lap belt low and snug across your hips and the shoulder belt across your chest, never behind you or under your arm. As the driver you must make sure every passenger under 16 is properly secured in a child restraint or seatbelt. In GDL, a seatbelt conviction leads to a licence suspension, and you can be fined if one of your passengers is not buckled. The handbook also says no more than two adult passengers may sit in the front seat with the driver.

Child restraints step by step

1. Infant: rear-facing seat from birth to 10 kg, meeting the Canadian standard.
2. Toddler: child seat for children from 10 to 18 kg, with the tether strap used for forward-facing seats.
3. Young child: booster seat with the lap and shoulder belt for children who weigh at least 18 kg, are 9 or under and are less than 145 cm tall.
4. The handbook advises that children under 12 ride in the back seat.

Phones and other distractions

The Highway Traffic Act bans holding or using a hand-held device that can make calls, send texts or email, or receive data while you drive on a highway. The only stopped-vehicle exceptions are when the vehicle is off the roadway and not moving, or lawfully parked, so waiting at a red light or in traffic is not covered. You may use the phone hands-free or to call 911.

• Set your music and navigation before you move off.
• Pull over to eat, read a map or pick up something you dropped.
• Avoid emotional conversations while driving.
• Do not start a trip tired. A few seconds of dozing at 90 km/h covers the length of a football field.

Common mistakes

• Holding the phone at a red light. You are still driving.
• Letting a 14-year-old passenger ride unbuckled because they refuse. The driver is responsible for passengers under 16.
• Moving a child to a booster or adult belt too early.
• Thinking GDL drivers can use earbuds. Headphones are banned for all GDL stages.

Test yourself: Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Prince Edward Island

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

Go deeper

• PEI Knowledge Test, Vision Test and Novice Driver Course