Which car seat does my child need?
- All children are required to be safely and correctly restrained in an appropriate car seat when travelling by car.
- By law, children up to the age of seven must be fastened in an age appropriate child seat.
- Children under 145 cm should remain in an appropriate car seat even if they are more than 7 years of age.
- All child seats must comply with the Australian Standard (AS 1754) and be properly fitted in your vehicle.
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See Choosing the Right Car Seat and Laws Governing Car Seats in Australia for more information about making the right choice of car seat. |
When should I change my child’s car seat?
The specific type of seat that your child needs will depend on their age and size:
- 0-6 months: Baby capsule (rear facing restraint).
- 6 months to 4 years: Baby capsule until they outgrow it, then forward facing restraint.
- 4-7 years: Forward facing restraint until they outgrow it, then a booster seat.
- Over 7 years: Booster seat until they can properly fit in an adult seatbelt.
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See Types of Car Seats for more information. |
Where should I position my child’s car seat?
- All children who are 12 years of age and younger should be properly restrained, sitting in the back row of seats.
- To fully protect your child, it is important that the car seat is correctly anchored to your vehicle and it is not impeded by car seat accessories.
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See Installing a Car Seat Correctly for a detailed description. |
References
- Neuroscience Research Australian and Kidsafe. Best practice guideline for the safe restraint of children travelling in motor vehicles. 2013 (cited 13 August 2015). Available from: URL Link
- New South Wales Government. Child car seats. 2015 (cited 30 July 2015). Available from: URL Link
- Tasmanian Government. Child restraints: A guide to car seats. 2015 (cited 30 July 2015). Available from: URL Link
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Date Created: February 15, 2018