Uk Car Seats

[Guest ellenafaith]

I am trying to find out if my Uk car seats for my baby and toddler are legal in Australia, any information would be very much appreciated.

 

Thank you

[spanners]

I use my UK ones. The Aus ones just don't seem well made and are flimsy. Aus ones do have an anchor strap that fixes the child seat to the rear of the rear seats but the UK ones don't. When ever I've been caught speeding the police have never looked at the child seats.

[Guest westie1972]

We are using our Britax car seat for our son which we brought over from the UK.

[Guest guest3462]

Ok so just to upset everyone uk carseats are not legal within Australia and the fines for being caught using them are hefty ($400 per seat and 3 penalty points) the Australian car seat rules has recently changed and the police do spot check cars randomly. The car seats here do appear to be of a lesser quality but are tested to the Aussie safety levels. Car seats here are also quite expensive so be ready for that outlay when you arrive. Sorry guys 

[mydearboy]

Ok so just to upset everyone uk carseats are not legal within Australia and the fines for being caught using them are hefty ($400 per seat and 3 penalty points) the Australian car seat rules has recently changed and the police do spot check cars randomly. The car seats here do appear to be of a lesser quality but are tested to the Aussie safety levels. Car seats here are also quite expensive so be ready for that outlay when you arrive. Sorry guys 

 

agree 100% with church!

[Guest Nick11]

Ok so just to upset everyone uk carseats are not legal within Australia and the fines for being caught using them are hefty ($400 per seat and 3 penalty points) the Australian car seat rules has recently changed and the police do spot check cars randomly. The car seats here do appear to be of a lesser quality but are tested to the Aussie safety levels. Car seats here are also quite expensive so be ready for that outlay when you arrive. Sorry guys 

 

Yep..quite right. Know of a few parents who have copped a hefty fine.

They are really clamping down on it. New rules came in last October.

[Guest jools123]

is that the same for booster seats

jools x

[Guest guest3462]

No, the booster seats are exactly the same as UK ones, however they are phasing out the small cushion only carseats and you will only be able to but them here until stocks run out in stores. You will still beable to use them though only in the middle of the back seat or front seat.

[Guest Guest5035]

I use my UK ones. The Aus ones just don't seem well made and are flimsy. Aus ones do have an anchor strap that fixes the child seat to the rear of the rear seats but the UK ones don't. When ever I've been caught speeding the police have never looked at the child seats.

 

:shocked:

 

stevo

[Guest scmercer]

I used my max-icosi ones from the UK when we first arrived as the Australian ones are really poor quality and don't seem as safe. It is not legal to use them and when I had my car serviced the garage noticed the UK seats in my car and advised me to replace them. I am now using Australian ones which don't compare to the UK ones but they are legal!!

 

It is a real pain, but it is not worth getting a fine!

[Guest mquinn]

We were advised that the UK ones are illegal and have bought an Aussie one. We bought a Peg Perego as they are made in Italy and it seems fairly decent. We did also notice that baby bunting are now selling a maxi cosi model but it is not the same as the UK one.

 

We are able to use our Peg at home though as it complies with UK standards, that only works if you buy it here as the UK ones don't have the anchor point attachment. I agree that the safe and sound carriers do look flimsy so we ended up paying more for an approved model made by european company, it did cost a fortune though!

[snifter]

As others have said, UK ones are not legal. All car seats need to be top tethered and the UK don't do this.

 

Isofix is also not yet legal in Australia. It is a few years off being a standard thing. It has been approved but of course must now go through the testing and so on before car seats fitted using it can be sold in Australia.

 

Personally, having done a great deal of research it does seem to me that the Australian car seats are generally not as good as the EU/UK ones and I do have concerns about using them. No getting away from it, when you compare the breakdown of a Britax and a Safe n Sound for example (SnS being the Aussie arm of Britax) what you get for your money here is a heck of a lot less than you would get in the UK. I am trying to find the Aussie equivalent of what I would buy here but nothing has come close. And I've discovered during my reading that its not only parents from overseas who are using non Aussie car seats. I was surprised by the number of Aussie parents who opt to import car seats

 

Maxi Cosi recently went into the Aussie market and some of their car seats are very similar to what they sell elsewhere so perhaps consider them?

 

These links may be of use to you

 

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=305&id=1486#3

 

http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Transport%2C+travel+and+motoring/Road+safety/Seatbelts+and+child+restraints/Child+restraints+-+six+months+to+four+years

 

Be aware that the sit on cushion booster seats are no longer being sold by many and your child is safest when sitting in a proper child car seat for their age/size fitted with a 5 point harness. Don't be too quick to want to use a seatbelt or have them out of a child car seat with sides.

 

If you want more info I've compiled a lot of info, links and so on on car seats in Australia. Its a subject that matters a great deal to me.

[Guest nicandchris]

Bugger

 

Ive recently purchased our son a new car seat here in the UK but tried to make sure that it was 'universal' so that it would be accepted in oz. Ive been a little concerned about what to actually do when heading over as i presume that i would have to bring our uk seat over on the plane and use at least initially!

 

I used my max-icosi ones from the UK when we first arrived as the Australian ones are really poor quality and don't seem as safe. It is not legal to use them and when I had my car serviced the garage noticed the UK seats in my car and advised me to replace them. I am now using Australian ones which don't compare to the UK ones but they are legal!!

 

It is a real pain, but it is not worth getting a fine!

[Guest westie1972]

Today I have been to Red Cross in Henley Road in Mile end and had a Safe n Sound (Britax au) car seat fitted in our car for my son, it cost $299 fitted. I was so worried all the way there in case I got stopped by the police, now I can relax and my son is safer.

[Guest Guest5035]

been a while since my 2 were in child seats, but i didn't compromise on their safety, whether it cost $200 or $500 they had the best seats. I can't believe some of the posts i've read, especially the ones with speeding !!I'm not saying the kids were in the car, but surely the kids want mum or dad home safely.

 

Stevo

[snifter]

Bugger

 

Ive recently purchased our son a new car seat here in the UK but tried to make sure that it was 'universal' so that it would be accepted in oz. Ive been a little concerned about what to actually do when heading over as i presume that i would have to bring our uk seat over on the plane and use at least initially!

 

Shame You can take it with you for the flight (if your child is having their own seat) and buy an Aussie one asap. I'm not going to comment one way or the other about using a UK car seat once there. That's a personal decision people make.

 

I'm including a link about Aussie car seats so you can do some research from the UK and perhaps already have a short list to try once you land. I've done research into a number of these car seats already so feel free to ask questions. I've of course not used any being in the UK still but am ensuring I am fully informed as to the market out there and what is safest/best to be using and why.

 

Here is the link to the CREP (Child Restraint Evaluation Program) results from Feb 2011. IT lists car seats and gives them a rating from 1-5 stars. The blurb in the PDF tells you about CREP and who runs it, its a Government and motoring consortium testing group. The PDF is from a NSW release but you can pretty much figure that the results for the car seats would apply elsewhere.

 

I suggest downloading the PDF anyways to read all the blurb alongside the results.

 

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/downloads/children/crep_dl1.html

 

Or you can read it on Choice AU

 

http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/babies-and-kids/travel/transport/child-car-restraints-review-and-compare/page/results.aspx

 

 

FWIW the company listed as ICG Dorel is actually Maxi Cosi but the Australian division. So the top rated infant carrier is theirs but it doesn't appear so easy to install. But its the only one to get a 5 star protection rating. They have not been in the Australian market long but its good to see they have done well in tests on that car seat. Personally while I rate some of their car seats here my experience of trying to contact their Aussie section for info and help has been very poor.

 

Safe n Sound is the Aussie arm of Britax. They have been excellent in replying to my emails and being helpful with information. You can also find them on FB and see lots of info there and read from other parents using their products. You usually get a quick reply that way I find.

[Guest nicandchris]

hi thanks for that, we were unsure of whether to buy maxi cosi here but intead went for a new italian type as it looked and is more comfortable for our little one. However would then would oz accept maxi cosi if its just a differemnt brand name?

 

also with the car seat would that be fitted on the plan as in the car?

 

 

Shame You can take it with you for the flight (if your child is having their own seat) and buy an Aussie one asap. I'm not going to comment one way or the other about using a UK car seat once there. That's a personal decision people make.

 

I'm including a link about Aussie car seats so you can do some research from the UK and perhaps already have a short list to try once you land. I've done research into a number of these car seats already so feel free to ask questions. I've of course not used any being in the UK still but am ensuring I am fully informed as to the market out there and what is safest/best to be using and why.

 

Here is the link to the CREP (Child Restraint Evaluation Program) results from Feb 2011. IT lists car seats and gives them a rating from 1-5 stars. The blurb in the PDF tells you about CREP and who runs it, its a Government and motoring consortium testing group. The PDF is from a NSW release but you can pretty much figure that the results for the car seats would apply elsewhere.

 

I suggest downloading the PDF anyways to read all the blurb alongside the results.

 

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/downloads/children/crep_dl1.html

 

Or you can read it on Choice AU

 

http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/babies-and-kids/travel/transport/child-car-restraints-review-and-compare/page/results.aspx

 

 

FWIW the company listed as ICG Dorel is actually Maxi Cosi but the Australian division. So the top rated infant carrier is theirs but it doesn't appear so easy to install. But its the only one to get a 5 star protection rating. They have not been in the Australian market long but its good to see they have done well in tests on that car seat. Personally while I rate some of their car seats here my experience of trying to contact their Aussie section for info and help has been very poor.

 

Safe n Sound is the Aussie arm of Britax. They have been excellent in replying to my emails and being helpful with information. You can also find them on FB and see lots of info there and read from other parents using their products. You usually get a quick reply that way I find.

[snifter]

hi thanks for that, we were unsure of whether to buy maxi cosi here but intead went for a new italian type as it looked and is more comfortable for our little one. However would then would oz accept maxi cosi if its just a differemnt brand name?

 

also with the car seat would that be fitted on the plan as in the car?

 

 

If I understand you correctly, no buying a Maxi Cosi in the UK to take to Aus won't work. They are different car seats made and sold for the Aussie market specifically. The top tether aspect is the key thing as we don't have that in the UK at all. So any car seat bought here won't have that and would be illegal to use in Australia. Only car seats that have passed the Aussie regulations and have their seal of approval are legal to use in Australia.

 

Maxi Cosi/Dorel market in Aus is new and small.

 

And re the airline, check with the airline you are flying with and check the dimensions of the car seat to be on the safe side.