desperatehousewife

UK isofix seats fit to the isofix points in the car if they are fitted, Australia doesn't have Isofix seats at all so if you want to use an Isofix seat you have to buy from the UK

Gems

Hi,

Im also not impressed with Aussie car seats, sorry but my Maxi Cosi car seats were way better for baby and older seat.

Australian mums are actually importing Maxi Cosi car seats and other car seats and prams from Europe here. They too are obviously flouting the law then.

If you can get a relative to buy and get the courier to pick up:

This place was recommend by some Aussie mums, as its about the cheapest to ship and they have been getting prams and car seats from the UK in about 3 days http://www.parcel2go.com/
Also mentioned this place for cheap shipping:
http://www.parcelmonkey.co.uk/

* This place sells a lot of European brands and will ship to Australia. Recommend by mums in Australia who have used them. Also can be cheaper than buying here.
http://www.babycare.nl/

I have heard Maxi Cosi are going through testing to bring their car seats over here. But dont know how long this takes.

Also ebay sellers will often ship to Australia. Buy new though.

Gems

Pollyana

Also can invalidate the car's insurance in the event of a crash.

HazBean

I think the Romer Kidfix at babycare.nl is the same as the model as the Britax evolva 1-2-3 plus (might not be plus model?). Costs eur 169 + 65 delivery, so 213 pounds or au$ 378 - ouch!

lapin_windstar

Bugger!
JPs over here are not (necessarily) lawyers, they're more or less volunteers with a bit of special training. And even a generic lawyer isn't likely to have relevant experience in this particular aspect of law - if there is even any experience to be had. I wonder if case law even exists on this topic.

Can you provide a link or some sort of other source for this? It seems a bit unlikely that an insurance policy on a car can be invalidated because of using an unapproved child booster seat.

Swerv-o

You're quite right - JPs aren't legally trained here - pretty much all they are useful for is certifying documents and other minor civil activities. Australia doesn't have a lay magistrate system like the UK - All magistrates are trained lawyers, the equivalent of the old UK stipendiary magistrate.


Here's an excerpt from Reg 266 of the Australian Road Rules:

----

(1) The driver of a motor vehicle (except a bus or motor bike) that is moving, or is stationary but not parked, must ensure that this rule is complied with for each passenger in or on the vehicle who is under 16 years old.

...

(3) If the passenger is at least 1 year old but under 16 years old, and not exempt from wearing a seatbelt under rule 267, the passenger must be restrained in a suitable approved child restraint that is properly fastened and adjusted, or occupy a seating position fitted with a suitable seatbelt and wear the seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened, if:

(a) a suitable approved child restraint, or a seating position fitted with a suitable seatbelt, is available in the motor vehicle for the passenger; or

(b) another law of this jurisdiction requires all passengers at least 1 year old but under 16 years old to be restrained in an approved child restraint, or wear a seatbelt, unless they are exempt from wearing a seatbelt under the law of this jurisdiction.

"Approved child restraint" is defined in subrule (7).

...

(7) In this rule:

"approved child restraint" means a child restraint approved, for the Australian Road Rules , under another law of this jurisdiction.

----

So that's the law. There may be some regional variations. Note-ing up the regulation doesn't produce any existing case law, though I suspect it would be at state level anyway.


S

HazBean

I may be wrong but looking around there do not appear to be any booster seats for children over 26kg available in Australia. Therefore, you cannot legally put your 26kg+ child into a booster seat. You can use a child harness (without a booster seat) but only up to 32kg.

Victoria is currently looking into raising a new Australian standard for children over 7 years old and up to 36kg (as per UK & Europe) but it isn't finalised.

Safin

And those harnesses can't be good in a crash if used without a booster. They pull the lap sash up so it is across the childs abdomen not across the hip bones. Thereby increasing damage to internal organs in an accident.

hevs

I totally agree and I don't see that the Australia seats are any different than the UK ones...at all. Safe and sound = Britax.... Oh, and my sons safety is my priority too...

jsmithjsmith

mothercare deliver to oz but dont know about larger items, but i wouldnt any way as if you or your son were injured in a crash your insurance would be void therefore no compensation or anything.

rinkerdink

5 point seat age 7! crikey, how fast do you drive?

At that age ifd your child 'tall' then a booster is the right choice surely, all they do is lift em up so the belt crosses the childs chest and not their neck, my son was out of a booseter at 7, just as soon as he passed the height limit.

I think your safety concerns are commendable if a bit OTT

rinkerdink

JP's in UK are often volunteer magistrates that have done it for a few years

Evelin

I friend of mine was in the same situation. He refused to use an Australian approved seat and imported one from Germany. He wrote to all sorts of gov agency with supporting documents, petitions and so forth to change the regulation for children's car seats. I don't know the outcome as this was 2 years ago.

lapin_windstar

Maybe, although my old headmaster was a JP and he certainly didn't even do a law degree, let alone practice. He might not even have ever done a teaching degree, come to that... In any case, JPs in England and Wales are totally different from JPs in Australia.

Can you provide a link or some sort of other source for this?

dave7370

We bought a 'Safe & Sound' car seat for our 2.5 year old when we lived in Brisbane and found it to be more secure than the seats available in the Uk. So much so, we wanted to bring it bring it back with us to the Uk when we returned earlier this year, only to find it wasn't legal to use so we sold it.

I can see the OP's point of view of wanting to have their child secured correctly and safely, but to blatently flout the law just because they believe they think the Uk seats are better is just plain stupid and to think that if the worst (god forbid) were to happen that they're entitled to blag their way out of it show little or no common sense.

I'm not saying for one minute I'm whiter than white, but when it comes to insurance cover, the law etc..... if you want to take it into your own hands then go ahead, but when it all turns to s**t don't say you weren't warned.

Edit: And by my last paragraph I ment to add that the OP may want to consider how they they'd feel / cope if their insurance didn't pay out for any injuries their little loved ones may suffer in any accident, whether at fault or not.

Food for thought.