New national car seat safety laws announced
Car safety for children is an important issue for all parents. Currently 500 children under the age of ten are killed or seriously injured every year in car accidents with a further 2,300 receiving minor injuries.
Last week, Transport Ministers from around Australia announced unanimous support for new national child car restraint laws.
Babies up to six months of age must be in a rear-facing infant capsule, then in a forward facing car seat until four years of age and then in a booster seat from four to seven years of age.
Up to the age of four, children must be restrained in the back seat of the car. Children between four and seven years old must not be seated in the front seat unless all backseats are taken up with younger children.
Remember to make sure your child’s restraint is appropriate for her weight and height, that it meets Australian Standards, and that it is installed correctly.
The new laws use the child’s age as the best guide as parents will know their child’s age but may not be aware of their height or weight, however the safest position for small babies to travel in is facing backwards, so it is important to leave her in her rear-facing car-seat or capsule until she reaches the upper weight limit before moving her into a forward facing restraint.
Useful links:
CHOICE Child car rest
Australian Transport Safety Bureau – Simple Guide to Child Restraints
NRMA Q&A on Child and Infant restraints
Belletoni Association for child passenger safety – types of child restraints

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