From 9 November 2009 there will be some changes to Victoria’s road safety rules. These changes include new rules for the use of child restraints and booster seats in vehicles and will help parents and carers ensure their children are in the safest child restraint or booster seat for their age.
Starting 9 November 2009, children under seven years of age must wear a child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car for improved safety.
The type of restraint will depend on the age of the child as follows:
- Children aged under six months must wear an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, rear facing child restraint
- Children aged between six months and under four years must wear an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, rear facing child restraint OR a forward facing child restraint with an in-built harness
- Children aged between four years and under seven must wear an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, forward facing child restraint with an in-built harness OR an approved booster seat which is properly positioned and fastened.
There are also new laws for where children can sit in vehicles.
- If a car has two or more rows of seats, then children under four years must not travel in the front seat
- If all seats, other than the front seats, are being used by children under seven years, children aged between four and six years (inclusive) may travel in the front seat, provided they use an approved restraint or booster seat.
That you have restraints fitted by an approved child restraint fitter.
To find an approved child restraint fitter in your area, visit the
Restraint fitting stations page on this website.
- On average, nearly 300 children under the age of seven are injured or killed as passengers in vehicles on Victorian roads each year
- Parents are generally moving their children into adult seatbelts from about the age of five and a half years - research suggests this is simply too early
- Children up to seven years are at least four times more likely to sustain a head injury in a crash when sitting in an adult seatbelt only
- Other research shows seating children aged four to seven years old in an appropriate booster seat reduces their risk of injury in a crash by almost 60 per cent, compared to if they were sitting in an adult seatbelt without a booster seat.
To comply with the new child restraint rules you:
- have to know which is the correct child restraint(s) to use
- have to ensure that each child passenger is wearing a properly fitted and fastened child restraint or booster seat suitable for their age every time they travel in a vehicle.
Taxis will continue to be exempt from the child restraint requirements. However, parents are encouraged to use their own restraints in taxis where possible. When there is no suitable child restraint available a seatbelt must be worn.
- What can I do if my child is too big for the restraint for their age?
The new laws aim to cater for the majority of children, however there is a provision to allow a child who is too tall or heavy for the recommended restraint to use the restraint in the next age category. This website has information to help you choose the right child restraint depending on the size of your child.
- What should I look for when purchasing a child restraint?
All child restraints sold in Australia must meet the Australian Standard AS/NZS 1754. However, independent testing has shown that some restraints provide more protection and are easier to use than others. When purchasing a restraint consider the following:
- its suitability for the child in relation to their age, weight and height
- the size of the seat space and vehicle (where possible take your car with you to test that the restraint/booster fits).
If you would like to receive updates via email about the changes to the child restraint laws, other road rule changes and road safety information please register your email address with us.
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