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Car Safety Seats, Child Restraints etc
Some Important notes for overseas visitors... Each child restraint must be correctly installed and it must have the Standards
Australia mark.
One of the main features of the Australian system is the the use of a rear strap
to an anchor point.
Most overseas child restraints do not comply with
Australian standards and cannot legally be used in Australia
This includes restraints from countries such as the UK and USA. Never use an infant restraint in the
front-passenger seat if your car has a front-passenger airbag.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau produce a
booklet on Child Restraints, and the PDF version is available at:
child_restraints.pdf
Child restraints and the
law
As the driver, you must make sure that all child passengers who are up to 16
years old are suitably restrained. You are responsible for their safety.
In most states and territories, the law says that every child who is less than
12 months old must use an appropriate restraint. The restraint must suit your
child’s weight and size.
If your child is 12 months old or older, your child must use a child restraint:
• if the restraint is available; and
• if the restraint does not already hold another child.
Otherwise, your child must use a seat belt. However, children will have more
protection in a crash if they use a child restraint that suits their weight and
size.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
Information Line
Telephone: 1800 621 372
Note the following added June 2005
Standards Australia has tightened the Australian Standard®
for child restraints following concerns around the
need to improve the safety of children during a side impact collision.
The revised Australian Standard® for child restraints, AS/NZS 1754 Child restraints for use
in motor vehicles, was published in November 2004 and includes the
requirements for more rigorous side impact testing.
The revised Australian Standard® for child
restraints can be purchased from our web shop at:
www.standards.com.au or call 1300 65 46 46.
The two new systems likely to be approved for the
new Australian standard are the European ISOfix system, which clips the
childseat rigidly in place via snap connectors
at the base of the seat - particularly useful in side impacts - and a more
flexible US "Latch" tether system. Both require top tether straps to further
control childseat movement.
Telephone numbers if
you need more information or if you wish to locate your nearest approved fitting
station.
Australian Capital Territory
Department of Urban Services
Telephone: (02) 6207 7236
New South Wales
Roads and Traffic Authority
Telephone: 1800 042 865
Northern Territory
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment
Telephone: (08) 8924 7019
Queensland
Queensland Transport Customer Service
Telephone: 13 23 80
South Australia
Transport SA
Telephone: 13 10 84
Tasmania
Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
Telephone: 1300 135 513
Victoria
VicRoads
Telephone: 1300 360 745
Western Australia
Department for Planning and Infrastructure
Telephone: (08) 9216 8505
Warning
• Each child restraint must be correctly installed and it must have the
Standards Australia mark.
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