NEW CANADIAN STUDY FINDS 81 PER CENT OF CAR SEATS ARE MISUSED OR INSTALLED INCORRECTLY

 CYBEX launches its Callisto G 360 in Canada to help simplify safety and reduce errors

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Becoming a new parent is both exhilarating and exhausting — and car seat safety can feel like one more overwhelming responsibility. From choosing the right seat to ensuring it's installed correctly, the process is daunting. That's why CYBEX is stepping in: today, the award-winning CYBEX Callisto G 360 launches in Canada, alongside a new Canadian study that underscores just how critical proper installation is to keeping children safe. 

A new CYBEX‑commissioned study, conducted in collaboration with Dalhousie University, the Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada (CPSAC), and IWK Child Safety Link, found that 81 per cent of car seats observed were either misused or improperly installed — a significant increase from 55 per cent in a similar 2015 study¹. That troubling uptick highlights an urgent need for enhanced education and awareness for families.

"This study revealed that 81 per cent of child restraints were found to have at least one misuse error — from loose harnesses to not using the correct stage of seat," said Katherine Hutka, President, Child Passenger Safety Association of Canada. "Families want to do the right thing, but this study confirms just how often small mistakes put kids at risk. It's not enough to buckle up — we have to make sure they are buckled up right."

Using the right car seat — and installing it correctly — can reduce a child's risk of death by up to 75 per cent and serious injury by nearly 70 per cent. Proper restraint isn't just important, it can be life-saving.^2, 3

Top car seat errors vary by seat type, but all can significantly compromise safety in the event of a crash:

• Rear‑facing seats: 33 per cent had loose harnesses; 27 per cent were found to be dangerously installed too loose.
• Forward‑facing harness seats: 44 per cent of harnesses were too loose; 34 per cent lacked proper tether use.
• Booster seats: 44 per cent showed incorrect belt routing resulting in poor lap belt fit (19 per cent), poor shoulder belt fit (27 per cent), and twisted seat belts (23 per cent).

Launching in Canada: The all-in-one CYBEX Callisto G 360
Now available nationwide at major retailers including West Coast Kids and Snuggle Bugz, the CYBEX Callisto G 360 is designed to be the only car seat most families will ever need — adapting from the first ride home through the elementary years. With rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster modes, it simplifies safety at every stage and helps reduce the risk of misuse.

"At CYBEX, we want every parent to feel confident that their child's seat is installed correctly, every time," said Jon Maguire, Vice President for Product Management at CYBEX North America. "That's why we designed the CYBEX Callisto G 360 to tackle the most common mistakes—like loose installation or forgetting the top tether. With its quick, simple, repeatable installation, the CYBEX Callisto G 360 is 37 per cent safer in a crash, giving families peace of mind on every drive."

Key features of the CYBEX Callisto G 360:

• SafeLock™ One‑Time Installation System – Install securely in as little as 15 seconds: tether, route, click—and go.
• 360° rotation in any recline position – Effortlessly turn the seat toward the car door for easy loading, with up to five recline settings per mode.
• SafetyAssure Protection System – Combines anti‑rebound base with SecureFix360 tether, linear side‑impact protection, and SensorSafe smart technology, delivering 37 per cent safer in a crash based on head‑ and chest‑injury metrics compared to seats without these features.
• SensorSafe smart detector – A Bluetooth‑enabled chest clip that alerts when the clip is unbuckled in motion, the child is seated for too long, the vehicle's temperature becomes unsafe, or the child is inadvertently left behind—plus, it can notify emergency contacts with location data.

More information about the study is available here, and more information about the CYBEX Callisto G 360 is available here.

ABOUT CYBEX

Founded by Martin Pos in 2005, CYBEX develops a diverse range of products, including car seats, strollers, interiors, baby carriers, and accessories, aimed at providing modern families with safer and more comfortable solutions for their lifestyle. All products created by the German company fully adhere to the CYBEX D.S.F. Innovation Principle, representing a unique combination of distinctive design, highest standards, and smart functionality—fundamentals for everyday life "for all tomorrow's people."

ABOUT THE STUDY

With sponsorship and support from CYBEX Canada, a research study was conducted by Dalhousie University and IWK Child Safety Link to determine how children are restrained in passenger vehicles. CPSAC-trained Child Passenger Safety Technicians conducted roadside observational checks with drivers transporting children aged 0–14 years old in Nova Scotia.

This study assessed the real-world child restraint use and misuse of car seats and booster seats using a validated child restraint check form and a brief driver questionnaire. A total of 1005 child passengers in 682 vehicles were assessed at 41 check events in 33 different rural and urban locations from May to November 2024.

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	^1 Bruce, B., Cramm, C., Mundle, K., Williams, D., and Conrad, A. (2015). Roadside Observation of Child Passenger Restraint Use. Advances in Pediatric Research, 2 (24), 1–6.
	^2 Weber K. Crash protection for child passengers: a review of best practices. UMTRI Research Review. 2000;31(3):1-28.
	^3Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Child Car Seat Restraint Enhancements – Summary of Proposal. https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/showAttachment.do?postingId=1702&attachmentId=2131

SOURCE CYBEX

Please direct any press inquiries to: Bri Bijman - [email protected]