Like many aspects of parenting, there's a lot to consider when choosing the right child restraint. Knowing what's safest, within your budget and then moving it on when it is no longer needed can seem overwhelming, but we've put together some straight forward tips to help you out.
Is it better to hire or buy a car seat?
Depending on your needs, you can always consider hiring a car seat instead of buying one outright. This is a good option if you only anticipate using a certain type of child restraint for a small period of time.
Baby capsules for example can only be used for up to six months and sometimes less than this depending on the size of your baby. Many people choose to hire a capsule and then buy a car seat when it’s time to up-size.
Buying a new child car seat
There are three main things to consider when choosing a car seat to buy:
- Is it safe?
- Is it easy to use?
- Is it within your price range?
Safety is of course the most important factor here, but it's also essential that the car seat be easy to use and affordable. Here are some tips to help you meet these requirements.
To help you find a safe, easy to use and affordable car seat, here our some of our top tips:
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Find out more about the safety of different car seats by going to Child Car Seats, where you can see and compare crash ratings for different brands and models.
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If you intend buying a seat your child can use as they get older, ensure you've checked the safety of each different settings, as it can change as the child ages up.
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Shop around to find the right price. All seats in Australia must pass rigorous safety standards and the most expensive brands do not necessarily equal the safest.
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Ensure your seat is professionally installed, and ask the installer to show you how to do it yourself in case it needs to be moved from car to car.
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Ask a shop assistant to demonstrate how to clip a baby in and out and have a go yourself. Avoid restraints that are overly complicated for you to use as you want to make sure you are strapping you child in correctly every time.
- Familiarise yourself with the National Child Restraint Laws.
We know there is a lot to consider, so we've also put together a more detailed article which covers some of the most important considerations when choosing a seat.
Second-hand child seats
Let's face it, babies are expensive and you might be looking into second hand equipment to help save on some of those costs. However, when it comes to child restraints you need to be aware of a few things.
If the child restraint is damaged, too old, or an illegal overseas model which might not have passed safety requirements, its a no go. Here's what you need to check before going second hand:
- Check it has an Australian Standard AS/NZS 1754 sticker.
- Make sure the restraint is not older than 10 years by checking the year of manufacture sticker.
- Inspect for wear and tear, frayed straps, and ensure the buckle clicks into place securely.
- Ask if the restraint has ever been in a crash as damage may not be obvious; if it has – do not use it.
- Do not use an overseas child car seat as it is illegal to do so in Australia.
How to dispose of a child seat
Knowing how to dispose of a child seat can be challenging, but you do have a few options. If your car seat is older than ten years old, worn or damaged, you must throw it away.
Before doing so, ensure it cannot be reused by cutting the straps and removing the inserts, padding and stickers. It's also a good idea to clearly write "Do not use - Broken" on the seat.
Can you sell, lend or donate it?
If your seat is in good and safe condition, is less than 10 years old and has never been involved in an crash, you can pass it onto someone else who needs it.
There are plenty of online market places where you can list the seat for sale or you can find a charitable organisation who will accept a donation. You may even have a friend or family member who can get some good use out of it.
Are car seats recyclable?
Car seats are too bulky and need to be thoroughly disassembled before they can be properly recycled. For this reason, there aren't many accessible recycling options for car restraints.
Fortunately, in an effort to reduce the amount of seats ending up in landfill, there are initiatives that may be able to fill this gap in the future.
One such scheme being supported by the Australian Government, will make it easy for parents and families to dispose of old and potentially dangerous child safety seats for recycling, by creating collection sites for easy disposal. The program is supported by Kidsafe as well as major child seat brands and retailers and motoring associations, including the NRMA.
