Child Restraint In Australia Essay

Planning a trip to Australia for an end of year holiday is an exciting time for you, and while you are busy organizing the transport options, it is very easy to overlook a fundamental safety issue that will affect your child from the moment you land. Whether you have hired a minibus to transport you to your hotel, or because it is a roomier way for your large family to get around during your stay, your children need to be buckled up. These are the three things you must know about child restraints in Australian minibuses.

What Is The Law?

Each state or territory has their own child restraint safety laws, so it is important you verify the law depending on the state you are going to visit. Queensland, for example, states any bus with more than 13 seated positions does not need to be fitted with seatbelts, nor does a child in it need to be in a restraint. However, if you are travelling in a mini bus and it has less than this number, then your child must be restrained in an age-appropriate way.
Each country has its own safety standards assigned to child seats, and Australia is no exception. For your child safety seat to be used once you land in Australia, it must comply with the Australian Standard AS 1754 Child Restraint Systems Used in Motor Vehicles policy.

The fastest way to check whether your seat complies is to look at the safety label attached to it. It must specifically state it meets Australian Standard AS 1754 for it to be used legally upon arrival in Australia. If it does not state this, then leave the seat behind as you will be transporting this bulky item for no good reason.

Do You Have To Buy A New Australian Car Seat Upon Arrival?

The good news is not only do you not have to transport your bulky existing car seat to Australia, but you do not need to buy one on arrival either. There are two ways you can obtain a temporary car seat that meets Australian