What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Just wondering if we need child seats in the car in Oz for my girls?
In the UK my 11 & 12 year olds don't need them, my 8 year old has a booster seat, and my 3 year old has the full car seat with 3 point harness plus seat belt to hold the seat in place.
Do I need to take them with me.....and are they the standard seats in Oz?
More excess baggage on the plane if I do take them :blink:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Your seat for the 3 year old won't be legal here and you won't be able to use it. The older kids won't need one, just the car seat but you will probably need a new booster seat for the tiddler.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

OK thanks. Knowing my luck the police will stop us as we drive from the airport in the hire car, and we wouldn't have gone to buy a new car seat for the little one :eek:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Hi Beth, when we went in November / Dec for our validation trip we hired with our hire car a booster for my 4 year old and a babyseat for the 1 year old. The hire company only charged a few dollars a day for their hire. Might be worth doing that for a few days until you get a chance to buy them....book them at the same time as you book your hire car.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Thanks Cathy :thumbup:
It seems the things we take for granted in the UK are causing me the biggest worries for when we get to Oz :o
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

I know what you mean! The thing is - we have duplicate car seats over here from when my Mum used to drive our kids about - and we know we'll get peanuts for them even though we paid quite a lot for them if we sell them as we cant use them in Oz.... We're planning on just hiring seats initially until we buy our car hopefully the 1st week of arriving then we'll have to fork out for a booster and another car seat again! What a pain eh? Going on what the seats were like from our carhire company i'm confident that our UK ones were a 100times better - it's so annoying!!! :D

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

We also paid big bucks for our car seats. Oh well......we will have to hire a car seat for a while :thumbup:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

The high backed booster seats that you just use the car seat belt with.
In OZ does that seat have a tether/anchor or is it just the 5 point harness variety. Thanks

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Hi when we went to oz we where not happy with the quility of how much they moved around the car from side to side and we have recaro seat in the uk and want to take them with us, does this mean its againist the law to use them. My little ones are 2 and 4 and we are not happy with just using a booster seat as we have taken alot of time and trouble in getting the best over her.
Sorry to babble I am just a very troubled parent who wants to keep the safe in the car. Does anyone know of any good quility seats(makes) and where to buy them if we really can't take them. many thanks

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

uk seats are not legal in oz.. if you were in an accident it would affect your insurence.
I'm not sure of any good makes.. Someone on this forum mentioned safe and sound.
I found a an oz website on it was a britax highliner high backed booster exactly the same as you would get here only the price was $200

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

sorry to be silly but how does it effect your insurance, does it mean if the car crashed the seat would not be covered and they would not replace or that the insurance becomes void or car will not be insured or the people in the seats aren't insured? sorry just very confused

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

sorry just read a oz insurance policy its seems that its only the car seats that won't be covered un the policy effects is this right??, so the car will still be covered. sorry we are off in 11 wks and at the moment the 2 seats are taking up 1 baggage allowence.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

If you were in an accident and god forbid your child was killed then insurance would not pay up because the seat did not meet Australian standards. You may be right and they may fix the car but if you wanted to claim for anything to do with the loss of your child then your insurance would be invalid.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

This site will give you some info :-

www.childcarrestraints.com.au

:)

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

under the frequently asked questions was :

Can I use a restraint from overseas?
Only restraints that meet the Australian Standard for child restraints can be used legally in Western Australia. It is also illegal to sell or hire restraints that do not meet at least the 1991 version of this standard. Australian Standard restraints can be identified in two major ways. Firstly they all fasten to the vehicle not only by means of the seat belt, but also by means of a tether strap that is attached to an anchor fitting bolted into and anchorage point in the vehicle. Secondly they carry an Australian Standards Mark sticker marked AS 1754. This sticker is a guarantee that the product will provide the best protection possible from injury in a crash if it is correctly installed and used.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Gosh......there's more to car seats for kids than meets the eye...LOL
Think it's best to sell ours before we leave the UK and hire one for our 3 year old, then hopefully buy one asap.
I'm not too happy about her just needing a booster seat in Oz though......I like her to be securely strapped in :blink:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

I know what you mean - our daughter has a booster with a high back over here - and the hire companies in Perth and Tassie gave us one of those booster seats that are literally just the base... they said that was all they did for her age group. :thumbdown: Oh well....

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Bit crap considering there's a young child involved :mad:
Think the car seat I have now is much safer :thumbup:
Oh well......I can see me arguing with an ozzy copper over this at some point in the future....LOL
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

I came across this thread http://www.birth.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=14869 about maxi cosi infant seats which I found really interesting, so I thought I would share :)

Katya

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

I took my booster seat with me wrapped in a bin bag. Crazy I know but they weigh nothing and we had them then for my 9 year old.

Take the booster on the plane.

Cheryl

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Yeah good idea thanks :thumbsup:
We will look like tramps in the airport with loads of binbags, suitcases, 4 kids and jetlag....LOL :lol:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

When do you fly and where are you off too Beth?

Cheryl

We fly on 15th April

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Heading to Cairns, North Queensland on April 28th :eek:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Sorry Beth, but I'm pretty sure it is illegal for anyone to sell a USED car seat in the UK. :(

Maybe someone else could confirm this.

My 8 year is a tall thing and is now over 135cm so doesn't need a car seat anymore in the UK. Is this the same in Oz?

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

There's always car seats for sale in the free ads!!!! :thumbsup:
Looks like your 8 year old doesn't need a booster seat in Oz......bit of a weird law regarding child safety in the car in Oz :blink:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Thanks Beth, I can't find anything that actually states what the law is?? We were in NSW and Adelaide last year and were told by the hire car people that DD then 7 didn't need a car seat. I suppose we should have looked into it but we assumed the hire companies would be a good source of ino. :unsure:

Maybe the selling of car seats is advisory because if you use a second hand car seat that has been in an accident it could be damaged. I know I would always buy new for peace of mind.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Well I'm going to sell my car seats......even if I get a tenner for the 3 of them. I know they are in ex cond......and will take the covers off to prove it to anyone who may want to buy them :thumbsup:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

No. Its not illegal to sell a used car seat.

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

YAY!!!! :thumbsup:
I'm right again Nic....LOL :p
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Beth going off subject but I would like to wish you and your family all the best for your new life. We are about to jump so I think I know what you are going through and I would like to say, well done, be brave and even if its not what you hoped well done for taking on the life experience.

These words I hope will provide support, something I have not had at all.
My husband has just left the British Forces (thank goodness as life was becoming too dangerous and stressful). We have lived a secure and finacially protected life in the forces and its been good to us. Leaving a secure job and a guaranteed roof over our heads is so so scarey. Our hopes and dreams that we will make it in Oz for our kids sake are our hope.

Beth be strong and enjoy your adventure and never count the cost as when this life comes to an end no one prints a bank statement and places it on your headstone and says "she had a good life look how well she did".

All the best for the future,

Cheryl

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Aaaaahhhh thanks Cheryl :wub:
Yeah I know what you mean about being scared.......it would be much easier to stay here :eek:
Love the bit about 'no-one prints a bank statement and places it on your headstone'!!!! How true is that!!! :D
Really hope things work out for you too......glad someone else feels as scared as I do right now :eek:
Keep in touch and let us know how you get on :thumbup:
Beth x x :wub:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Check out www.kidsafewa.com.au if you are heading for WA.

We used them to fit our kids Australian bought car seats and to hire a car seat for my friends little girl. The hired seat was very very clean, service fantastic and very very cheap.

Hope this helps someone

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Not sure if this will help.


We have a normal carseat for our 12 month old, but for our second car we bought a maxi rider (safe and sound by britax I think).

It suits 8kg to 26 kg so roughly 9 months to 4/5 years. We paid about 300 dollars for it- is a great seat and needs an adult seat belt plus an anchor point in the car. Most new cars have the anchor points, so fitting it takes minutes (if you are a woman and read the instructions, or hours if you are my hubby and don't bother!)

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

does anyone know if the booster seat with and witout hight backs have to be anchored to the car or do they just rely on seat belt like the UK. I know the younger seats do but was just exporing options??:confused:

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

For my 3 YO and 5 YO we used high backed booster seats that just attach with the seatbelt. They can be bought here for about $65 but are not that easy to find! A taxi firm recently refused to provide a booster for my 5YO stating that it wasnt necessary. (Presumably by law)

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Booster seats that are strapped in permenantly are called maxi riders here

Smaller baby car seats from the UK may look better but overhere the seats actually have to be "bolted" to the car and evey car has to have an anchor point to attach the car seats to. UK car seats do not have the anchor. The Aussie seats are anchored in AND have the seat belt through them, WAY safer (if a huge amount more hassle) than UK seats.

E bay sells maxi riders, i'll do a search...

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

This is a good pic and may explain it better.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Safe-n-Sound-...QQcmdZViewItem
Great for 3 year olds :thumbsup:

If you look at the small pic of the back of the seat, the "V" shape belt is the bit that attatches to the anchor point.

There are also the strap in type of boosters, like this :)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BRAND-NEW-BAR...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Then it wasn't fitted properly. The seat should not move at all :)

Re: What's the law in Oz for child seats?
 

Thanks for the advice :thumbsup:
Sounds much better now you've explained things :thumbup:
Beth x x :wub: