Child & infant restraints

Helping YOU keep your child safe

Changes from 1 March 2010	Types of restraints
Buyers' guide to child restraints	Test results
RTA fitting locations	Child restraints fitting guide video

NRMA urges parents to be very careful to purchase only child restraints carrying a label or sticker stating that it meets Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754.

A recall of unsafe child car restraints by online traders has prompted a serious safety alert from Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Deputy Chair, Peter Kell. eBay trader Doreen 3058 supplied the WORWO baby car seats via eBay Australia in May and June this year. The seats were manufactured by Taizhou Ganen Car Appliance Co. Ltd. "These baby car seats breach the mandatory safety standard for child restraint systems for use in vehicles," Mr Kell said. "They were supplied without an upper tether strap. In the event of a car accident this breach poses risks of serious injury or death."

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New laws apply in NSW from March 2010

• Children younger than six months must be secured in a rearward facing restraint
• Children aged six months to less than four years must be secured in either a rear or forward facing restraint
• Children aged four years to less than seven years must be secured in forward facing child restraint or booster seat
• Children younger than four years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows
• Children aged four years to less than seven years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in a child restraint or booster seat.

New child restraint laws - Frequently Asked Questions

Choose the right child restraint
A child that is properly secured in an approved child restraint is less likely to be injured or killed in a car crash than one who is not.

Child restraints can be purchased from retail outlets or hired from some local councils, some maternity hospitals, community groups and from privately run rental companies.

Child restraints available in Australia must meet the Australian /New Zealand Standard 1754:2004 Child restraints for use in motor vehicles. The standard is one of the toughest child restraint standards in the world and child restraints manufactured to this Standard offer good protection in a crash.

A significant number of the restraints have been tested and assessed under the Child Restrain Evaluation Programme (CREP).

Find out more about the results of these tests and the guidelines you should follow when buying a child restraint in the safer child restraints brochure (PDF 1.5MB/8 pages) .

Remember

• Using a restraint correctly greatly increases a child's safety during a crash
• Placing a child in a restraint that is designed for a larger/older child increases the risk of serious injury in a crash
• In NSW, it is illegal to use a child restraint in the front passenger seat of a vehicle if a passenger airbag is fitted
• Ensure the restraint is installed correctly. See a restraint fitter if in any doubt
• Always use the top tether strap where required
• Always use the centre rear seat position a first preference for fitting a child restraint if it is fitted with a 3 point seat belt.
• Teach your child to always keep both arms within the harness system of the child seat or the seat belt of the booster seat
• When using a seat belt with a booster, ensure the seat belt is correctly fitted over the child’s shoulder
• Move your child into a forward-facing restraint only when they no longer fit into a rearward-facing restraint
• Move your child into a booster seat only when they no longer fit into a forward-facing restraint
• Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Installation

Follow all the manufacturer's instructions carefully if you are fitting the restraint yourself. If the instructions have been lost, contact the manufacturer or seek advice from an RTA Authorised Fitting Station. Call 13 22 13 to find your nearest RTA Authorised Fitting Station.

A child who is too heavy for the restraint recommended for their age should use a restraint for the next age category (see table below).

Rear facing child restraint  (inbuilt harness)	Products are available for children  up to 9 kg or 12 kg
Approved child restraint  (inbuilt harness)	Suitable for children up to a  maximum weight of 18 kg
Approved booster seat	Suitable for children up to a  maximum weight of 26 kg

Always wait until your child has outgrown their current restraint before changing to the next size.

How should I choose the safest restraint for my child?

Follow the guidelines below to ensure that you are choosing the safest restraint for your child and using it correctly.

Select a child restraint approved to the Australian Standard. These restraints are marked with the Standard Australia 'tick-mark'.

Child restraints are designed to match a child's height and weight.

When you buy a restraint you need to consider:

• The size and weight of your child.
• If the restraint will fit in your vehicle.

Keep your child in the most appropriate restraint suitable for their size and weight and only move them to the next category of restraint when he or she no longer physically fits.

In rearward and forward facing restraints, ensure the inbuilt harness is adjusted for a comfortable but firm fit with no slack so that the harness straps are straight and in flat contact with the child.

In booster seats, make sure the sash belt crosses the shoulder and is in contact with the child's chest. Make sure the lap belt sits low across the pelvis.

Look for booster seats with:

• Sash guides or locators that will position the sash belt comfortably at your child's shoulder level.
• Features to prevent 'submarining', which occurs when a child slips under the lap section of the seatbelt during a crash, with the potential for serious or fatal injury.

Always follow the restraint manufacturer's instructions when installing a restraint and placing your child in it. Incorrectly using a restraint or using a restraint that is not suitable for your child's size puts your child at a higher risk of serious injury or death in a crash.

If you are purchasing or borrowing a second-hand restraint, be VERY CAREFUL. Only use a restraint when you know its history or if it has been obtained from a reliable source.

Do not buy or use it if it has been involved in a crash, has worn straps, bent or worn buckles, or the attachment points in the plastic shell are cracked or discoloured, for example from age, overloading or exposure to the sun. Child restraints that are more than 10 years old should not be used.

Use an authorised restraint fitter if you are unsure how to fit the child restraint.

Consider the ease of use ratings. A restraint that is easier to use is more likely to be used correctly. A correctly fitted restraint offers better protection than an incorrectly fitted restraint.

Warning: Children should only use lap-only seatbelts when placed in a booster seat that incorporates a child safety harness. In a crash, the lack of upper body restraint means the  head and upper body of the child will travel forward possibly allowing the head to strike the seat in front or their knees.

Types of restraints

Different types of child restraints are designed to accommodate children of specified sizes. It is important when choosing a child restraint that it is appropriate for your child's size. This may not necessarily match your child's age group, especially if they are bigger or smaller than the average children their age.

Rearward-facing restraints:

• for babies up to 6 months of age or 9kg and up to 70cm in length or 12kg depending on the make of child restraint
• the restraint is held in place by the seatbelt and the top tether strap
• all have an inbuilt harness system.

Forward-facing restraints:

• designed for young children who weigh from 8-18kg, or approximately 6 months to 4 years old
• the restraint is held in place by the seatbelt and the top tether strap
• the seat faces forward and incorporates a six-point harness.

Booster seats:

• suitable for children 14-26kg, or approximately 4 years to 7 years old
• they are used with an adult lap/sash seatbelt
• booster seats with high backs and sides provide protection for children in side impact crashes as well as providing support for when they are sleeping.

Convertible forward-facing restraints:

• combine the features of rearward facing and forward facing restraints in one child restraint
• accommodate babies from birth up to 12kg (depending on the type of restraint) in rearward-facing mode and can then be converted to forward facing for young children from 8-18kg
• all have an inbuilt six-point harness system.

Convertible booster seats:

• combine the features of forward facing restraints for young children and booster seats for older children
• these restraints come with an inbuilt harness and a top tether strap
• the harness is used until the child reaches 18kg or until the harness straps are too tight over the shoulders.

Seatbelts:

• adult lap/sash seatbelts should only be used on their own when your child is too big for a booster seat
• lap/sash seatbelts offer greater protection to passengers than do lap only seatbelts, but they must fit correctly
• this means that the lap belt is positioned over the hip and the sash belt sits on the shoulder and does not touch the neck.

Test results

The CREP testing and assessment program is based on tests developed in Australia to identify child restraints that offer the highest level of safety. The restraints are rated on how well they protect your child in a crash and how easy they are to use. The following tables set out the test results. Injury protection and ease-of-use ratings are each scored by stars.

Rearward-facing restraints
For babies up to 9 or 12kg

Forward-facing restraints
For young children 8-18kg

Booster seats
For older children 14-26kg

Type A = Dedicated Rearward-Facing Restraint
Type A/B = Convertible Forward-Facing Restraint
Type B = Dedicated Forward-Facing Restraint
Type B/E = Convertible Booster Seat
Type E = Booster Seat

More information

Your guide to buying a child restraint View the full Child Restraint Buying Guide here (PDF 1.5MB/8 pages)

RTA Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Stations

RTA Authorised Child Restraint Fitting Stations (PDF 91KB/13 pages)

Child Restraints FAQ

Don't know whether to hire or buy? Can't get your child to stay strapped in? Get the answers in our Child Restraints Q&A.