The Australian laws relating to child restraints have recently changed. Children under seven are to be restrained in an appropriate child restraint and these laws are designed to increase the safety of your children and reduce injury.
As we are a team of accredited restraint fitters, please feel free to contact us should you have any questions or read our detailed guide on how to choose a carseat.
If your child is: | He or she should be restrained in: |
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Birth up to 6 months | Rearward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness |
6 months up to 4 years of age | Rearward or forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness |
4 years up to 7 years of age | Forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness or a booster seat |
Over 7 years of age | Booster seat with either an accessory harness or standard car seat belt |
Newer seats nowadays all have a label on the restraint showing you exactly where the childs shoulders can be to safely use the seat. Shoulder height markers make it so easy for parents and carers to establish if a child car seat is suitable for their child and when the child needs to have the shoulder straps adjusted or when they are ready to move to the next child car seat.
Shoulder Height Markers, located on the inner side of the seat, prompt parents and carers to ensure their childs seats, and associated harnesses, are adjusted at the right stages of the childs growth to maintain optimal safety in the event of an accident.
If your child is too small for a restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current of restraint for as long as necessary. If your child is too large for a restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of restraint. Basically if your child is under seven and fits in a restraint, they should be in one, providing they suit the weight requirement as specified by the car seat manufacturer. New car seats suiting children up to 36kg are now available on the market.