Is your childs car seat safe Heres when to change it

Is your child’s car seat safe? Here’s when to change it

Kids in Safe Seats help families every day to ensure children are traveling safely in the right car seat. Choosing the correct restraint and knowing when to transition to the next stage can be confusing, but making the right decision is crucial for your child’s safety. Here’s what you need to know to keep your little ones secure on the road.

Types of Car Seats and When to Change

Each stage of car seat use is based on a combination of age, height, and weight. Keeping your child in each stage for as long as possible is the safest option before transitioning to the next step.

Infant Capsules and Rear-Facing Seats

For newborn and infants, rear-facing car seats and capsules provide the best protection by supporting their head, neck, and spine in a crash.

Legally required: Babies must use a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 6 months old. Recommended: Keep your child rear-facing for as long as their seat allows, as this is the safest position. Some rear-facing seats have height markers allowing extended use.

Before turning your child forward-facing, check the shoulder height markers on your child’s seat. If the seat has two height markers, wait until your child reaches the upper marker before making the switch.

Forward-Facing Car Seats

Once a child has outgrown their rear-facing seat, they can move to a forward-facing car seat with an inbuilt harness.

Legally required: Children must use an approved child car seat (either rear-facing or forward-facing) until at least 4 years old. Recommended: Keep them in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible before switching to forward-facing.

Some forward-facing car seats allow extended harness use, so always check the shoulder height markers before transitioning your child to a booster seat.

Booster Seats

Booster seats position your child so that the adult seatbelt fits correctly. The lap belt should sit low across their thighs (not their stomach), and the shoulder belt should cross the middle of their shoulder (not their neck or arm).

Legally required: Children aged 4 to 7 years must use either:

• A forward-facing car seat with an inbuilt harness, or
• A booster seat with a lap-sash adult seatbelt or a child safety harness.

Recommended: Keep your child in a forward-facing seat with an inbuilt harness for as long as possible before moving to a booster.

If your child outgrows their forward-facing seat before turning 7, they must move into a booster seat.

7 Years and Older

Legally allowed: Children aged 7+ can legally use:

• An adult lap-sash seatbelt,
• A booster seat, or
• A forward-facing car seat with an inbuilt harness (if they still fit).

Recommended: Many children under 145 cm are too small for an adult seatbelt. A booster seat should still be used until they pass the 5-Step Test.

The 5-Step Test for Adult Seatbelts

Even though children 7 and older are legally allowed to use an adult seatbelt, most children don’t fit properly until they reach 145 cm in height, which often happens between 10-12 years old.

Your child is ready to move out of a booster seat if they pass the 5-step test:

1. Can they sit with their back firmly against the seat?
2. Do their knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat?
3. Does the lap belt sit low across their upper thighs, not on their stomach?
4. Does the sash belt sit across the middle of their shoulder, not their neck or arm?
5. Can they stay in this position for the whole trip?

If they fail any step, they should continue using a booster seat.

Where Should Children Sit?

• Under 4 years: Must not sit in the front seat if the car has multiple rows.
• 4 to 6 years: Can only sit in the front seat if all other seats are occupied by younger children.
• 7 years and older: Can sit in the front seat, but the back seat is the safest place.

🚨 If a vehicle has a passenger airbag, a rear-facing car seat must never be placed in the front seat.

Child Car Seat Safety Standards and Installation

All car seats used in Australia must meet the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754. Seats that do not carry this certification sticker are illegal to use.

Key Safety Points:

✅ Use a car seat that is less than 10 years old. Check the date of manufacture on the sticker.

✅ Do not use a car seat that has been in a crash. Even if it looks fine, its structure may be compromised.

✅ Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. If unsure, have it checked by a professional fitting service.

🚔 Penalties: Failing to properly restrain a child can result in a $1,209 fine and 4 demerit points per unrestrained child. Double demerit points apply for second or subsequent offences within one year. Rental vehicles must also comply with child restraint laws.

Making the Safest Choice

• If a child is too small for the next restraint stage, they must stay in their current seat.
• If a child is too big for their current seat, they must move to the next type.
• If unsure, check their height markers or visit a professional fitting service.

Need Help?

As a Certified Car Seat Installer with Kids in Safe Seats, I help parents and caregivers choose, install, and check child restraints to ensure kids are traveling safely. Proudly sponsored by First National Real Estate Bundaberg.

Let’s work together to make every car trip as safe as possible! 🚗✨