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Are Booster Seats Legal in Victoria

Getting your child out of a booster seat too early can cause significant injuries. In the current state of the law in Victoria, any child over the age of 7 can travel without a booster seat in the back or front of a car. However, this is not recommended. An adult seat belt is designed for people with a minimum height of 145 cm, so a booster seat should be used to prevent children from suffering serious abdominal and chest injuries in an accident. Children over the age of seven and under the age of 16 must be kept in an adult booster seat or seat belt. For safety reasons, it is recommended to transfer children to the next restraint category only if they grow up beyond their current restraint. The rules require that: If possible, it is recommended that you take your child`s booster restraint or seat with you. Non-reserved vehicles shall have at least one point where the belts of a child restraint system or booster seat can be securely secured. If children are removed from a booster seat too early, there is a higher risk of head, neck, spine and abdomen injuries in an accident, Elvira says. Children between the ages of about four and seven should use a forward-facing restraint system or booster seat until they have passed it.

An adult seat belt is designed for people with a minimum height of 145 cm. If your child is under seven years of age and has exceeded the size of their booster seat, it is recommended that you consult a professional child restraint system (e.g., a RACV restraint system) for evaluation. Note that: Legally, children over the age of seven can travel with a seat belt or an adult booster seat, but national Health and Medical Research Board (NHMRC) guidelines recommend a minimum height of 145 centimeters to travel with a seat belt; something only three percent of parents know, according to RCH resport. A child between the ages of 4 and 7 may only travel in the front seat of a car if all rear seats are occupied by passengers under 7 years of age and are seated in a booster seat. The temperature in a car can climb to dangerous levels very quickly. Children are more at risk of heat-related problems than adults because they lose fluid very quickly and can become dehydrated, leading to heat stroke and possibly death. Data from Ambulance Victoria shows that Ambulance Victoria was published between September 1, 2017 and September 31, 2017. August 2018 answered 1,587 calls for people locked in cars across Victoria, most of the cases being toddlers and babies. In all states and territories of Australia, it is illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for long periods of time. In Victoria, it is illegal under the Children, Young People and Families Act 2005 to leave a child unattended in a vehicle. The penalty for this is a fine of $4,030, or up to six months in prison, or both.

The other two-thirds are in forward-facing car seats after 18 months, although safety recommendations say they should drive backwards to at least two. In Victoria, children under the age of seven must be held in an approved child restraint system or booster seat when operating a motor vehicle. Children between the ages of 1 and 6 must also travel in the back seat. They must wear their own properly fastened seat belt if no appropriate child restraint or booster seat is available (but not sitting on someone`s lap). Children over 7 years of age must use an adult booster seat or seat belt. Non-reserved vehicles must have at least one point where the belts of a child restraint system or child seat can be securely fastened if a passenger brings his or her own. “The best practice guidelines recommend that children travel in booster seats until they are 145 centimetres tall or about 12 years old,” says Elvira. “Since less than two percent of seven-year-olds are also grown, parents need to reassess whether they are ready to get out of a booster seat.” According to Victoria`s child restraint system rules (valid since 9. November 2009), all children under the age of 7 must legally sit in a child restraint system or a well-fitting booster seat. All restrictions sold in Victoria must comply with the Australian standard AS 1754. Non-reserved vehicles (taxis that provide grading and hail services) do not need to carry child restraints such as capsules, child seats or booster seats. If they do not fit properly in an adult seat belt, they will have to stay in a booster seat.

* By law, children must travel in an appropriate restraint system, and for children between the ages of seven and 16, this restraint system may be a booster seat or a seat belt. It is important to use the right restraint system for the child`s height. Adoption can provide a safe family life for children who cannot live with their biological family. These points should be read in conjunction with the set of road safety rules of 2017, available on the link below, which refer to children driving in vehicles. If you`re wondering where the safest seat is to travel by car, or what the law says about where kids can sit when traveling in a vehicle in Victoria, then VicRoads has a useful section of their website that outlines current rules and restrictions and gives safety tips. For example, in Victoria: Many car rental and ride-sharing services can provide a car seat on request. Please contact the booking service provider of your choice for more information about their child-friendly services. When returning home after a flood, take precautions to reduce the risk of injury, illness or illness. The content of this website is provided for informational purposes only. Information about any therapy, service, product or treatment does not endorse or endorse in any way any such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other licensed healthcare professional. The information and materials contained on this website do not constitute a complete guide to all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.

All users are advised to always seek advice from a licensed physician in order to obtain diagnoses and answers to their medical questions and to determine whether the therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable for their situation. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health are not responsible for any reliance placed by any user on the materials contained on this website. Traveling with children can be challenging. Here are some tips to provide a pleasant time for everyone: According to the Highway Safety Highway Traffic Act of 2017 (the Regulations), infants under 12 months of age must be carried by the parent or an accompanying adult in the back seat of a taxi. For infants approximately six months to at least four years of age:. Modifications to a child restraint system must be made on the advice of medical and related health care workers. Certain exceptions to child restraint laws may apply to children with a health problem or physical disability. Seek advice from a doctor who can prescribe the best restraint for your child. For more advice, contact the Road Traffic Authority of your state or territory or Mobility and Accessibility for Children and Adults (MACA), tel.

(03) 9134 2500. The rules for children traveling in reserved vehicles such as rental cars and carpooling are different from taxis. They are the same as private cars. As a child, I couldn`t wait to travel in the front seat of a car. But even though it was the 80s, my parents resisted for a long time. for good reason. An allergy occurs when the body overreacts to a “trigger” that is harmless to most people. The best way to avoid injuring children in an accident is to make sure to restrain them when driving in a car. By law, all passengers must be sufficiently restrained at all times when travelling in a car in Australia. Children should be retained for their age and size with the correct child restraint system.

This means that children up to the age of 7 must be restrained in a restraint system appropriate to the age and size of the child. The national best practice guidelines for child restraint systems, developed by Neuroscience Research Australia and Kidsafe, include a practical “5-step test” to determine when a child is ready to use an adult seat belt. Kidsafe Victoria has more information on child restraint laws and national child restraint system best practice guidelines.