Under Victoria’s child restraint road rules (effective since November 9, 2009), all children under 7 years of age must legally be seated in a correctly fitted child restraint or booster seat. All restraints sold in Victoria must comply with Australian Standard AS 1754.
It’s important to remember that the laws outline the minimum requirements. Evidence shows that there is more that can be done above and beyond these minimum requirements to help keep children safe when travelling in the car. The Best Practice Guidelines provide information and advice to help you keep your children safe on every trip.
Infants have relatively large heads and weak necks which put them at particularly high risk of serious injuries. It is best to keep children in their rear facing restraint until they reach the maximum size limit – rear facing restraints provide the required head and neck support that a child needs.
Keep children in their forward facing restraint with inbuilt harness until they reach the maximum size limit. Just because a child has turned 4 does not mean that they are ready to safely use a booster seat with an adult lap sash seatbelt.
Different models of booster seat accommodate children up to different sizes, and some can fit children up until they can get good seat belt fit. When choosing a booster seat, look for one that will fit your child for as long as possible, especially if your child is tall for their age.
Children should continue to use a booster seat as long as possible, until they can fit properly into an adult seat belt. A good adult seat belt fit is generally not achieved before children can pass the 5 step test, which for many children is when they are approximately 11-12 years of age.
For more information on the Best Practice Guidelines, please visit https://kidsafe.com.au/crguidelines/
