storey4

Hi all,

We are finally flying out to OZ on 23rd June!! We have been trying to find out if it is worth taking our 2 child car seats and checking them in with luggage but we can't seem to find any info on whether they are safe to use in OZ.

Has anyone done this and found it easier to just buy new over there?

Thanks

joh117

There is another thread if you search where this has been discussed and no they are not safe rather acceptable for use in Oz as they do not meet the Oz standards

Jo

Pomster

Apparently you have to have car seats with Aus standards on them, to be valid in case of an insurance claim.

Car seats are not hugely expensive and are sold in lots of shops. Target often has xxpct off baby gear....think they have a sale at the moment!

We bought a Maxi rider (Britax) for up to 26 kg for 300bucks. As it should last until daughter is 4/5, it was a good buy.

The Bloke

Not only that, but I'm sure that the anchor points are vastly different.

The Bloke

Another thread on child car seats? Shiver me timbers! I'm sure you'd need to use an calculator to count them all that have appeared over the years.

PoppetUK

Don't shoot me! I've hung out at a few websites and always thought why do idiots write "use the search function". It sounds silly but I understand why now. I've always tried to type a response to these car seat questions but I'm bored with trying to answer this now, so pretty please try that search function (yeap this reply sounds annoying I know).

Good luck.
From a pom trying to write nicely.

p.s (the anchor points are different out here. your insurance will most probably be invalidated as the UK stand is very different to Aus standard)

stariston

Even if there is a 1% chance of not compiling with Australian
standards dispose of it buy a new one at target

certain things are not for debate

ray2gill

If you do a google search: child car seat australia

There are many sites to look at. I was looking this morning as we will need to buy one for our granddaughter. The answer is no. You will invalidate any car insurance you have.

Take a look on the Big W site they have some listed to give you an idea of price.

ray2gill

Ok if you've read them all can you please tell me up to what age is 18kgs.

Many thanks,

PJMA

If your child is a bit of a pie muncher/eats a lot of Big Mac's, KFC etc then 18kg will be about 2 to 2 1/2 years, usually a child of 3 1/2 to 4 years will be expected to weigh around 18kg.

Hope this helps.

Buzzy--Bee

Our two have just turned three and they weigh 14.5kg. But then we are a short family (gee you should see Great-Grandma.....)

Buzzy

PoppetUK

Daughter just tipped 18kgs for her car seat at 3yrs 10 months. We also have the Safe and Sound (Britax) Maxi Rider for our two. After 18 kgs if you purchase a H harness it turns into a booster but the harness in my opinion offers far more than just a booster with the normal seat belt.

When we purchased ours our son was in my opinion a little young for it. I would have been more comfortable with side impact protection and all.

If I had known I would have hired a seat from kidsafewa they are really good at fitting and hiring seats and its pretty cheap. All there seats are almost brand spanking new. The can also advice on the best car seats for your car.

kips

We have a $300 Aussie car seat in my husband's newish car for our 5-year-old son. It was bought to replace the rear-facing baby seat we bought in the UK when he was born in 2003. And in my ancient Ford Fairmount we have a cheap Argos car seat my Dad bought when I visited the UK three years ago (to use in his car) and I still use it here. It has been back and forth to the UK twice. It's perfectly safe to use and no police officer has ever pulled me up for not using an Australian standard car seat in the five years I have been here so don't stress. As far as I am concerned if a UK car seat is safe to use in Britain then it's safe to use here as Britain has stringent standards. And anyway in Queensland we discovered - when our son was two - that child car seats are not compulsory in a taxi for toddlers as they are in NSW. In Sydney we couldn't get a taxi once to take us from Circular Quay to Central Station because none had a child's car seat. We assumed the same would apply when we arrived at Sunshine Coast Airport for a holiday and I got stressed about finding a taxi with a car seat to take us to our hotel. I made my husband go and look for a taxi with a car seat only to find out it wasn't necessary as the law is different in laid-back Queensland. Either that or the taxi drivers couldn't give a toss. My son sat in the back of the car with the seat belt practically strangling him. We now hire a car with a request for a car seat if we can't take our own car to a destination.

ray2gill

I personally think this is rather foolhardy. If you have an accident it gives the insurance company an excuse not to payout as you have installed none complient equipment in your vehicle. If your child was injured whilst using the UK car seat they certainly wouldn't payout. Is it really worth the risk?

Pollyana

Qld Transport
RACQ
QAS

and


QLD Transport on non-Aus seats
Can visitors from overseas who bring their child restraint use it in Queensland?
The child restraint can only be used if it complies with the compulsory Fair Trading Regulation, Australian Standard AS 1754–1991*. All approved restraints have the Australian Standards symbol on the restraint.


And to answer the point about whether to search before asking - at one point last week we had at least four threads on the first page all asking about child car seats. They were all there in your face, but people were still starting new thread! Its one of those topics that is like buses - nothing for ages then a dozen all come at once.