Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Yukon

By the end of this topic you can

• You can wear a seatbelt correctly.
• You can explain the driver's responsibility for young passengers.
• You can choose the right child restraint stage.
• You can state the device rules for GDL and fully licensed drivers.
• You can manage other distractions in the car.

What you need to know and understand

• Wearing a seatbelt is the law in Yukon, and you can be fined for not wearing one.
• The driver is responsible for making sure children under 15 are properly restrained.
• Child restraints must meet Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and be used as the manufacturer instructs.
• Never put a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag.
• Hand-held electronic devices are banned for all Yukon drivers; fully licensed drivers may use hands-free devices.
• Learner and novice drivers may not use any electronic device, hands-free included, and doing so means restarting the GDL program.
• Any driver who is safely and lawfully parked, out of the way of traffic, may use a device.
• Device use while driving carries a fine of up to $600 and three demerit points.

Buckling up properly

Wear the lap belt low over your hips and pelvic bones and the shoulder belt across your chest and over your shoulder, never under your arm or behind your back. Airbags work with seatbelts; they do not replace them. Adjust your head restraint to suit you.

Child restraint stages in the handbook

The centre of the back seat is the safest spot. The Yukon Child Car Seat Safety Program can help with questions about fitting.

• Rear-facing: from birth until at least 10 kg (22 lb) and the child can walk unassisted.
• Forward-facing with tether: over 10 kg and able to walk unassisted, staying in a five-point harness until 22 kg (48 lb) and always using the tether strap.
• Booster seat: over 22 kg (48 lb), used with a lap and shoulder belt until the child is 145 cm (4 ft 9 in) tall or weighs at least 45 kg (100 lb).
• Seatbelt only: when the belt fits low on the hips and across the chest.

Phones and other distractions

Hand-held devices include phones, tablets, music players, hand-held GPS units and gaming devices. Some phones can send automatic replies while you drive, which helps you resist checking. Using a device includes simply holding it in a way that it could be used, not just talking or typing. The penalty is a fine of up to $600 and three demerit points for any driver, and a GDL driver also loses the driving experience they have built up and must restart the program.

Other distractions matter too: eating, adjusting music, chatty passengers and items hanging from the mirror. Pull over somewhere safe and legal to deal with them. Our Yukon novice driver guide covers the GDL device ban in more depth.

Common mistakes

• Tucking the shoulder belt behind your back for comfort.
• Moving a child out of a booster seat too early because of age rather than size.
• Thinking a novice can take a hands-free call. GDL drivers may not use any device.
• Checking a phone at a red light. You are still driving, not parked.

Test yourself: Seatbelts, child seats and phone laws in Yukon

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

Go deeper

• Yukon Novice Driver Rules
• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in Yukon
• Yukon Driver’s Basic Handbook study guide