VIC Child Restraint Laws

All Victorian children up to the age of seven years need to be secured in an approved restraint or booster seat when travelling in vehicles from 9 November 2009.

The national age-based changes to child restraint and booster seat rules require:

• Children less than six months to be secured in an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, rear-facing child restraint, such as an infant capsule;

• Children from six months to less than four years must be secured in an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, rear-facing child restraint or a forward-facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness; and

• Children aged from four years to less than seven years must wear an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, forward-facing child restraint with in-built harness or an approved booster seat which is properly positioned and fastened.

New safety laws relating to children up to seven-years-old travelling in vehicles with two or more rows of seats will also be introduced.

Under the changes introduced on 9 November 2009:

• Children under four years will not be allowed to travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows; and

• Children aged between four and less than seven years will not be allowed to travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children aged under seven.

At the end of the day, regardless of what laws are in place, all carers and parents should restraint their children in cars in the safest way possible.

Vic Roads have produced a brilliant brochure that outlines laws, travel tips and restraint types. For your copy click here.