Child Safety Perth: Car Safety Seat: Kids Banned from Car Front Seats

Friday, May 21, 2010

Car Safety Seat: Kids Banned from Car Front Seats

New laws proposed by the WA government sees kids under 4 banned from the front seats of cars (see Kids under 4 banned from car front seats). This is to protect children travelling in cars because many drivers were not putting their children in a child safety seat and thus putting children in danger.

The current Road Traffic Code requires only that babies under 12 months are restrained in an appropriate child restraint such as a car safety seat or baby capsule. See Child Safety Seat - Changes to Car Restraint Legislation.

The new safety laws will mean that parents have to put children aged six months to four years in a car safety seat with an in-built harness. Children aged 4-7 will have to be placed in a forward facing child safety seat or booster seat that is restrained by a seat belt or child safety harness.

Babies Under 12 months are to be put in appropriate car safety seats or baby capsules

In a 2007 study in the Medical Journal of Australia found that in an accident, children aged 2-5 years wearing an ordinary adult seat belt were 3 time more likely to be seriously injured, and four time more likely to sustain a head injury compared with those protected by a child restraint. See Child Safety Seat Problems.

Several other states like Victoria and south Australia have already introduced the laws pertaining to baby safety seats.

For more information on child safety in cars, check out Simple Steps to Child Passenger Safety