The recent Bluey episode 'The Sign' sparked discussion about child restraint rules when Bluey sat in the front seat of the car using only a seatbelt as a restraint, raising the question of when children should sit in the front seat.
Before allowing Bluey to sit in the front seat Bluey's mum, Chilli checked the child restraint rules and decides that since the back seat is filled with younger family members Bluey can sit in the front seat using a seatbelt.
The national child restraint laws include:
Children up to the age of six months must be secured in an approved rearward facing restraint.
Children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a rear or forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness.
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat.
If your child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level. If your child is too large for the child restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of child restraint.
Often parents move children out of their booster seat as soon as possible (when they turn seven) but it is important not to move a child into a seat belt until they can achieve a good seatbelt fit. When they should move to a seatbelt depends on the size of the child and the car in which they are travelling.
In relation to sitting in the front seat, in NSW children aged under four years:
must not sit in the front seat of a vehicle that has two or more rows of seats.
can sit in the front seat of a vehicle with only one row of seats but must use an approved child car seat suitable for their age and size.
As Chilli discovered, children aged between four and seven years must not sit in the front seat of a vehicle that has two or more rows of seats, unless the available seats in the back row are occupied by other children aged under seven years. They must use an approved child car seat suitable for their age and size.
As a seven year old Bluey can use a seatbelt in the front seat however this is not recommended. It is important to know that seven year olds are often too small for an adult seatbelt. Many children aren't big enough to safely wear an adult seatbelt until they're 10-12 years old. This is because adult seatbelts are designed for people who are at least 145cm tall. In addition there is usually an air bag that could be deployed into a child's face. For their safety, it is strongly recommended that children up to and including 12 years of age always sit in the rear seat.
Narrandera Shire Council is encouraging residents to ensure they are using the correct restraint and that their child restraints are correctly fitted. Correct fitting of child restraints can be difficult, and it is recommended that this is carried out or checked by an authorized restraint fitter. Ensuring your restraint is correctly fitted helps keep your children safe.
Across all ages, two in three child restraints are not being used correctly. Mistakes commonly occur in three ways:
When the child restraint is installed or moved between vehicles.
When a carer puts a child into the restraint.
Errors caused by a child, such as taking an arm out of the restraint.
For National Road Safety Week vouchers will be available for residents to have their child restraint check checked and fitted by authorised restraint fitter, Rodney Flanagan from Safari Motors. Vouchers are available by contacting Narrandera Shire Council.
