- Children up to the age of 6 months must be secured in a rearward facing restraint.
- Children aged 6 months but under 4 years must be secured in either a rearward facing restraint or a forward facing restraint with an inbuilt harness.
- Children aged 4 years but under 7 years must be secured in a forward facing restraint with an inbuilt harness or a booster seat.
- Children who are too small to be restrained by a correctly adjusted lap sash seat belt are strongly recommended to use a booster seat.
ALL child restraints must meet the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754.
For more information on the testing and selection of a child restraint for your child please refer to this website: https://www.childcarseats.com.au
Fines and demerit points apply if a driver fails to ensure all children are appropriately restrained in their vehicle. It is your responsibility to understand the everyday use of your restraints and what is appropriate for your children. By understanding how to use your child restraint you are providing the best protection for your children when you are on the road.
~ Do you know the history of the child restraint and can you ensure that it has not been involved in a motor vehicle collision?
~ How old is the child restraint? The date of manufacture is found on all restraints, either printed on a sticker, or stamped into the plastic.
~ Does the child restraint meet Australian standards AS/NZS 1754 Child Restrains for Use in Motor Vehicles? All restraints meeting this standard will have a certified sticker indicating so.
Please follow these five steps to decide whether your child should stop using the restraint:
- Sit with their backs firmly against the seat back.
- Bend their knees comfortably over the front of the seat cushion.
- Sit with the sash belt across their mid-shoulder.
- Sit with the lap belt across the top of their thighs.
- Stay in this position for the whole car trip.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/safety/car-pedestrian-safety/child-car-seats-restraints