Road rules
When travelling in a motor vehicle in South Australia, all children under 16 years of age must be restrained in a suitable approved restraint that is properly adjusted and fastened. The law is specific about what type of restraint is to be used at different ages and where children must be seated in a vehicle. The aim of these laws is to reduce the risk of injury caused by restraints that are unsuitable for a child's size. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers are correctly restrained. Penalties include expiation fees and demerit points. Children up to the age of 6 months
Children 6 months up to 4 years
Children 4 years up to 7 years
Children 7 years up to 16 years
Child restraint laws are based on age (rather than by height or weight) because research indicates that this is easier for parents to follow and will result in the smallest number of children being inappropriately restrained. However, a child's height and weight are still important to consider when making a choice about the right restraint or booster seat for your child. For example, the law specifies that –
Approved child restraintsChild restraints must comply with the Australian/New Zealand Standard 1754 and must be marked accordingly. This Standard is one of the toughest in the world, so child restraints manufactured to this Standard offer good protection in a crash. Restraints bought in other countries will not meet the Australian Standard and it is illegal to use them in Australia. In 2010, weight guidelines were replaced with shoulder height markers on restraints. These shoulder height markers determine when a child can start using a restraint, or when a restraint needs to be converted to a different mode and when a child may stop using the restraint and move to the next type. ISOFIX compatible restraints may be used, providing they are Australian Standards approved. The Australian Design Rules for vehicles provide an option for ISOFIX low anchorages in the vehicle with a corresponding top tether anchorage point. A pair of ISOFIX compatible lower attachment connectors for rearward and forward facing child restraints is provided as an option in the Australian/New Zealand Standard for child restraints (AS/NZS 1754:2013) in addition to the top tether strap. Seats made with the new system will also have the current seatbelt system so they can still be used when ISOFIX is not available in the car. It is illegal to use an ISOFIX compatible restraint from overseas. Children with additional needsChildren with a disability or medical condition often require special consideration when being transported in motor vehicles. In some cases you may need an exemption to allow your child to use a modified or special purpose child restraint that does not comply with Australian Standard 1754. To qualify for an exemption your child may need a medical certificate (which must be carried by the driver at all times when the child is travelling in the vehicle) or a vehicle inspection may be required to ensure the anchor point is strong enough to carry a heavier, special purpose restraint. Seek advice from a health professional, such as an occupational therapist, who can prescribe the restraint which is best suited for the child. Once you've found a restraint to suit your child, ensure you are meeting the legal requirements for the option you have chosen. Contact a Child restraint fitting centre or Vehicle Services at Regency Park on 1300 882 248 for further advice. The Australian Road Rules allow a child up to the age of seven years with a disability or medical condition to sit in the front seat of a vehicle if the driver is carrying a medical certificate and provided the child is properly restrained in either an approved child restraint or one that is fit for purpose. But remember, children are always safer in the back seat. Seating children in the front seat
In this situation you will need to use a booster seat that is manufactured without a top tether strap as anchorage points are not available for the front seat. See Children with Additional Needs for further information about seating a child with a disability or medical condition in the front seat under certain conditions. In this situation you will need to use a booster seat that is manufactured without a top tether strap as anchorage points are not available for the front seat.
If your car has only one row of seats (for example, a ute) children may travel in the front row provided they use an approved child restraint or booster seat. If a child must travel in the front row where there are airbags present, you should always follow the instructions from both the child restraint and vehicle manufacturer. A rearward facing child restraint must not be used in the front seat where there is a passenger airbag. You will also need to check whether an anchorage point is available (for rearward and forward facing child safety seats) before the restraint can be used. Contact a Child restraint fitting centre for further advice.
Exemptions from the child restraint lawsBus - bus drivers are exempt from ensuring passengers under 16 years of age are restrained. A bus is defined as a motor vehicle designed to carry over 12 adults (including the driver). If a vehicle is designed to carry 12 adults or less (including the driver) it is not a bus and the driver is not exempt from ensuring all passengers are appropriately restrained. Taxis - In South Australia, taxi drivers are not required to provide child restraints or booster seats. We recommend you provide your own child restraint when travelling in a taxi or look for an alternative service that can provide an appropriate child restraint. If there is no suitable approved child restraint available, a taxi driver must ensure:
Other exemptions include:
*These exemptions do not apply if the certificate is not produced on request by the driver of the vehicle. Ride sharing and limousinesThe driver of a ride sharing service, such as Uber, does not have an exemption from the child restraint laws and so must comply with all of the requirements for children up to 16 years of age. This includes limousine services as well. Some ride sharing services may provide a car seat for a surcharge and others won’t, so be sure to check with the company before booking. If you don’t notify the company that a child will be travelling with you then they may refuse service on pick up if you don’t supply a child restraint yourself. More information
Children need different child restraints as they grow to offer maximum protection in the event of a crash. Many deaths and injuries occur each year that could be prevented or reduced if the right child restraint is used correctly. Child restraint fitting servicesRAA Safety Centre Kidsafe SA Inc, Hilton Centre6/69 Sir Donald Bradman Drive Phone: 7089 8554 (advice, hire, sales, child restraint fitting services) Kidsafe SA Inc, Women's and Children's Hospital72 King William Road, North Adelaide Phone: 8161 6318 (advice) Safety tips for using seatbelts and child restraintsKeep your kids safe in the car. Check that their car seat is:
Also check that the straps lie flat - not twisted, and that they do not touch the child's face or neck and the buckle and adjusters work. Be sure not to over-tighten the top strap as this will result in the lap part being incorrectly pulled up over the abdomen. Regularly check that the seatbelt used to secure the child restraint has not been unlatched by other passengers. Choosing the safest child restraint for your child
Tips for buying or hiring a child restraint
Fitting a child restraint or booster seatAlways follow the manufacturer's instructions when installing a child restraint or booster seat in your car. A restraint which has been incorrectly fitted or is not suitable for your child's size, puts your child at a higher risk of serious injury or death in a crash. If you need help fitting your restraint, contact the manufacturer or visit a child restraint fitting service. Vehicle issues
Station wagons
Hatchbacks
People movers
Two-door cars
Small cars
Dickie seats in carsDickie seats may provide a good seatbelt fit for small passengers, however they do not offer the same level of protection as a booster seat as there's no side impact protection. If the vehicle is fitted with an additional row of seats in the cargo space, known as 'dickie seats', and these are specifically constructed for children, you can use these seats to carry children between the ages of four and seven years.
If the dickie seats are designed for carrying adults, then a child restraint is required for children under the age of seven years. Some restraints, such as child safety seats, require an anchor point but others may not. Not all dickie seats are fitted with anchor points and therefore may not be suitable for use with child restraints. The type of restraint will depend on the age and size of the child. If you are unsure whether the dickie seat has been designed for adults or children or if you are required to use a child restraint contact a child restraint fitting service for advice.
Children up to six months old:
The restraint must be properly installed and adjusted to fit the child's body. The harness should be adjusted to fit the baby as snugly as possible, with the shoulder and the crotch strap fastening between the baby's legs. Blankets should only go on after the harness is securely fastened. All rearward facing child restraints must be held in place by the seatbelt and the top-tether strap, and must have an inbuilt harness. A rearward-facing infant restraint allows a child to lie down and, in a crash, gives support and protection to the head and neck, the most vulnerable parts of a child's body. A rearward-facing restraint can be fitted to a vehicle with only one row of seats (e.g. a utility or van) provided it does not have an airbag in that position and a child restraint anchorage point is available.
Children six months to four years:
When a child turns six months old it does not necessarily mean they are ready to be placed in a forward-facing child safety seat. As rearward-facing travel is safer, you should only move your child to a forward-facing child safety seat when they have reached the maximum weight limit (for older seats) or the shoulder height marker (for newer seats) of their rearward-facing child restraint. There are a number of rearward-facing restraints available that are suitable for children to use until approximately 12 months of age. The restraint must be properly installed and adjusted to fit the child's body.
Children aged between four years and up to seven years:
Check your child's size and weight before moving them into a booster seat. Children grow at different rates. A four year old child may not be ready for a booster seat yet. Your child should only progress to a booster seat if they are:
Integrated Booster SeatsChildren aged 4 years or older can use an integrated booster seat when travelling in a car in South Australia. Integrated (or integral) booster seats are those that have already been built into the seat of the car at the time of manufacture and in accordance with Australian Design Rules. They can be adjusted so that an adult or a child aged 4 years or older can travel in the seat. Although an integrated booster is legal to use and helps the child to wear a seatbelt correctly, it does not provide the head protection that is afforded by using a current Standards Approved booster seat, that is, one with a high back and side-wings. Using a child safety harness with lap only seatbeltsIf you have a seating position with a lap-only seatbelt and need to use a booster seat, you must use the seatbelt in conjunction with a child safety harness. This will stop the child's head and torso from being thrown forward in a crash. It is recommended to only use a child safety harness on a booster with an anti-submarining buckle. An anti-submarining buckle prevents a child from sliding under their seatbelt during a crash or heaving breaking. A seatbelt strap is attached to the booster seat and clips to the lap part of the seatbelt (between the child's legs) to stop them from sliding out under the seatbelt.
Children aged seven years up to 16 years:
Children in this age group should continue to use an approved child restraint until they are tall enough to wear an adult seatbelt correctly, even if they can legally sit in the front seats. Car seats and seatbelts are designed for adult bodies, so not all children will fit an adult seatbelt when they reach their seventh birthday. Research shows that an adult lap-sash seatbelt will not generally fit a child properly until they are at least 145cm tall, often around 10-12 years of age. Children who are not yet tall enough to use an adult seatbelt tend to slump into the vehicle seat so that their legs bend at the seat edge. This means the lap part of the seatbelt is positioned too high on their stomach and they are at risk of serious injury in a crash. If a child outgrows their current booster seat and is still unable to wear an adult seatbelt correctly, it may be possible to obtain a larger booster seat. Keep in mind that how the seatbelt fits will also vary from vehicle to vehicle and even from position to position in the same vehicle. Lap-sash seatbelts provide greater protection than lap-only seatbelts. If there is a lap-only seatbelt in your car, it can be used with a properly fitting child safety harness by a child up to 32kg (approximately 10 years of age). Alternatively you may be able to have the lap-only belt replaced with a lap-sash seatbelt. Is your child ready for an adult seatbelt? If you answer "Yes" to all 5 Questions below, then your child is ready to move out of a booster seat, into an adult seatbelt. If you answer "No" to one or more, then they still need a booster seat.
Wearing a seatbelt can be a life or death decision – both for you and your passengers, even if you are only travelling a few kilometres because most road crashes happen close to home. Wearing a seatbelt when travelling at 40 kilometres is just as important as wearing a seatbelt at faster speeds. Crash impact at 40km/h is like falling from a two storey building onto concrete. Passengers not wearing seatbelts can kill or seriously injure others in the car if, for example, the driver has to brake suddenly. Seatbelt laws
Note: Animals should also be suitably restrained in vehicles. It is also an offence for passengers to travel in the back of utes, panel vans, trailers and caravans. PregnancyNo matter what stage of your pregnancy, it is vital that you always wear a seatbelt. This will protect you and your unborn baby in the event of a crash.Wear your seatbelt comfortably and correctly with the lap part of your seatbelt worn as low as possible, positioned below your baby. It should be over the upper thighs and across the pelvis. The sash part of your seatbelt should pass above the stomach and across the centre of your chest. More information
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