Strapping a sleeping baby or a cranky toddler into a
car seat when you’re in a hurry can test the most patient of parents. But just one tangled strap or loose harness can put your child at much greater risk of sustaining a serious injury in an accident.
Australian research reveals that children who are incorrectly restrained in a car seat are up to seven times more likely to be seriously injured in a crash
(Brown and Bilston 2006, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013).
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Studies also show that young children using adult seatbelts are three and a half times more likely to be badly injured, in particular to the head, than those in correctly fitted child restraints
(Winston et al 2000).
And numerous studies conducted by Australian road safety experts have found that around seven in 10 children are incorrectly fitted into their car seats
(Brown et al 2010, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013, RACV nd).
What are the most common car seat mistakes?
You can avoid making these common mistakes, to make sure your children arrive safely:
A twisted harness
Ensure the shoulder straps are flat against your child’s body from above the shoulder right down to the buckle. If the harness has shoulder pads, check under them for twists.
Loose harness straps
Harness straps should be firmly fitted, but not too tight. Check that you can fit no more than two fingers between the strap and your child’s body.
Moving your child to the next restraint too soon
Australian laws provide the minimum age your child must be before she can be moved to the next restraint.
In addition, Australian Standard-approved car seats now use height as a guide as to how long your child should stay in her car seat before moving to the next size
(NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013). If your child’s shoulders sit within the markers on the seat, then she’s in the correct seat for her height.
Don’t forget to adjust the harness straps as your child grows. When her shoulders are above the top marker, it's time to move her to the next size.
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Legally, your child can move out of her booster seat when she turns seven
(CREP nd). But medical and car safety experts strongly recommend you wait until she's at least 145cm tall, which may not be until she's 10 or 11
(RCHM 2019). If she's shorter than 145cm, an adult seatbelt will sit across her neck and tummy, increasing her risk of serious injury in a crash
(RCHM 2019).
Read more about when it's time to
move your baby from a rearward-facing to forward-facing seat and when it's safe to
move her to a booster seat.
Not using an anchor point
Some seats in commercial vehicles, utes or vintage cars don’t have anchor points and parents have been known to attach the child restraint’s tether strap around the head rest or luggage rails. Although this may hold the seat in place during normal driving, it won’t provide any protection in a crash.
Authorised restraint fitting stations can help you install an anchor point in your car if you haven’t got one, or you need an extra one.
Tips for using a car seat safely
Follow these expert tips to help you use your child's car seat safely every time:
- Get a professional to fit your child’s car seat safely for the first time (Brown et al 2011, RACV nd). Watch closely and ask questions while he does it so you’ll know how to fit it properly if required.
- Follow the instructions that come with your child's seat closely, and keep them in a safe place! Some newer restraints have colour-coded instructions on the seat itself.
- Regularly check rearward- and forward-facing seats to ensure harness straps are firm and flat across your child’s upper body, the buckle is always securely fastened and the top tether is firmly attached.
- Check booster seats regularly to ensure tether straps are secure and that the seatbelt sits across the bony parts of your child’s body: the shoulder bone and hips.
- Each month, check that the harness straps are correctly adjusted to your child’s height and that her shoulders are sitting within the height markers.
(NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013)
Find out which is the
safest position for your child’s car seat to be fitted in.
