Child Car Seats

[The Monaghans]

:realmad:Grrrrr, I'm going round in circles trying to get an answer for this one so I've come to ask the experts! Is it legal to put a child's safety seat on the front passenger seat of your car in Australia? The car doesn't have a passenger air bag if this makes any difference. Thanks in anticipation!

[foxychick]

not much help Liz, as I don't know the answer either, but just to add, the traffic policeman I asked didn't know the law either!!!!!

[The Monaghans]

No wonder I'm tying myself in knots then!

[Guest Django]

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_12_180607/ree11303_fm.html

 

It appears the only state to ban infants in the front is Victoria.

 

Pete

[Angela]

Hi Liz

 

I had the same question recently when a Mum at school said Thomas should be in the 'back' cause it would be harmful being in the front with no car seat & yes we do have the passenger air bag. It seems there are some very scary statistics about car accidents with the front passengers etc so to be honest I keep Tom in the back, although Brad is almost as tall as me (12 in Oct) so I believe he is as safe as an adult would be in the front. Tom is still quite small for his age (8 in Sept).

 

Perhaps best to keep the little uns on seats in the back, but it would be nice to get some accurate advise.

 

Angela x

[rachel]

Hi Information I can find on children and sitting in the front !! I personally would never let my child sit in the front as if involved in a crash the impact can be more serious and in cases fatal !! Im afraid I have seen to many serious road accidents whilst on the traffic police !!!

 

 

Child passengers

• Seat belts and child restraints have made a great difference to the safety of children in cars and it is important to make sure that there are suitable restraints available when your children travel in a car.
  
• If all seats in the car are occupied and you need to carry extra passengers, including children, you are allowed to do so, but for safety reasons it is not wise to do this.
  
• It is not safe to let your children lie down and sleep on the seat.
  
• It is against the law for two passengers, even two children, to use the same seat belt.
  
• The law does not forbid children riding in the front seat of a car, provided they are using proper restraints. However, the front passenger seat is the least safe seat in the car and provides less protection for the passenger than any other seat.
  

[Guest Guzzler&Sas]

Hi Liz

 

Don't quote me, but I have been led to believe that as long as there is no air bag, you can put a child in the front seat - seen lots of parents doing it when Ruby was at kinde - I guess it also depends on the age as to whether they are using a seatbelt which needs an anchor point and whether the front seat has one - does that make sense?

 

See you soon

Sas

xxx

 

PS Guess RAchel and I were posting at the same time!