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Car seats in Australia - What you need to know


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I can see I'm going to get into an argument with my mum over this! She's meeting us in Brisbane and says "bring the car seats, pommie so&so is using their UK ones with no probs".

 

I doubt she would be impressed with 6 points and $660 fine (2 kids in incorrect seats!) though.

 

Out of interest, anyone know of somewhere at Heathrow I can dispose of a car seat? My youngest needs it for the coach, but after that it will be useless!

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Hi everyone,

 

My goodness, it seems like a long time ago that I posted on this thread about what car seats to use in Oz!!!

 

We have since returned to the UK and now have an Aussie car seat for sale! Could be useful to any of you who are in the dilemma we were about how to get from the airport in Oz to accommodation without a reliable and safe car seat for your kids.

The seat is for 4-8 year olds. It was the best scoring seat in the CREP safety tests when we bought it a year ago, and is in excellent condition. Needless to say, it has never been in an accident. It's an Infa Secure Vario Crown in Steel Velour. You can see info here:

 

http://infasecure.com.au/category/ca...s/vario-crown/

 

We paid $170 for it, but we are open to offers.

 

(PS. The colour is shown in the 4th picture along at the bottom. It's not the garish red colour that initially assaults the eyes when you open that link!)

Edited by oidara
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I can see I'm going to get into an argument with my mum over this! She's meeting us in Brisbane and says "bring the car seats, pommie so&so is using their UK ones with no probs".

 

I doubt she would be impressed with 6 points and $660 fine (2 kids in incorrect seats!) though.

 

Out of interest, anyone know of somewhere at Heathrow I can dispose of a car seat? My youngest needs it for the coach, but after that it will be useless!

 

There is nothing to stop you bringing it if you can use it on the plane (check as some are too big but others fit) or have it as part of your checked baggage.

 

Just once you arrive in Aus it will be illegal. But perhaps handy to keep for return trips or to sell to someone going back. Or to dispose of here. Not going to say carry on and use it in Aus, that is your personal choice there, now you are informed.

 

Or just ask a nice cleaner or someone at LHR where you can dispose of it. I'm sure someone would do so for you.

 

The Aus standards thing can catch a lot of people out. We cycle and the helmet I want isn't sold in Aus. And if I order it from overseas and use it here and get stopped, it's supposedly illegal and a potential fine etc. So Aus standards passed one it is to be on the safe side.

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Where we live it's full of poms who bring over their maxi cosy car seats for their bugaboos and I have never heard of one getting stopped and fined. Fair enough if you need a new one but I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good one. This is all a bit over dramatic if you ask me ... The police have better things to do and done babies going get to ride in any car seat at all.

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Where we live it's full of poms who bring over their maxi cosy car seats for their bugaboos and I have never heard of one getting stopped and fined. Fair enough if you need a new one but I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good one. This is all a bit over dramatic if you ask me ... The police have better things to do and done babies going get to ride in any car seat at all.

 

But the fact remains, if you use an unapproved car seat for your child your are essentially driving them around uninsured. If there were to be an accident and you needed to claim, you are giving the insurance company a reason to wriggle out. Your call.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I saw this car seat in Big W because I had understood we couldn't use our UK ones. It says it has an Aus safety cert but doesn't need a top tether strap.

 

http://www.bigw.com.au/baby-kids/carseats/booster-seats/bpnBIGW_0000000336456/infa-secure-foldaway-booster-seat

 

Would they be allowed to sell it if it wasn't road legal? It could be just the thing for our 2 younger boys, but I don't want to order them if I can't use them. Anyone got any help?

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I saw this car seat in Big W because I had understood we couldn't use our UK ones. It says it has an Aus safety cert but doesn't need a top tether strap.

 

http://www.bigw.com.au/baby-kids/carseats/booster-seats/bpnBIGW_0000000336456/infa-secure-foldaway-booster-seat

 

Would they be allowed to sell it if it wasn't road legal? It could be just the thing for our 2 younger boys, but I don't want to order them if I can't use them. Anyone got any help?

 

It is road legal because it weighs less than 2kg, therefore getting round the top tether requirement. Its basically really lighweight and looking at the spec, narrow also. I'm not won over reading up on it.

 

Personally, I'd not touch it with a bargepole. It is not rated by CREP (the Aus standards testing for car seats) that I can see and I can think of highly rated impact tested car seats for not much more cost wise that I'd use. I go for safety over price every time and we found a very highly rated car seat (CREP tested) on special for $50 when we arrived and it only costs $99 at full price.

 

http://www.crep.com.au/crep-results.php

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Thanks. Target have a few CREP-tested ones quite cheap. But what's the rule - if any - for which seat fits which kid? I have a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old and would prefer to get 2 booster seats rather than a car sat for the younger one. He's not used a car seat in the UK for about 12 months at least, fitting comfortably in a booster seat. Would I be fined if I was stopped and he was in a booster? Or must he just be in any sort of seat to be 'legal'?

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Thanks. Target have a few CREP-tested ones quite cheap. But what's the rule - if any - for which seat fits which kid? I have a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old and would prefer to get 2 booster seats rather than a car sat for the younger one. He's not used a car seat in the UK for about 12 months at least, fitting comfortably in a booster seat. Would I be fined if I was stopped and he was in a booster? Or must he just be in any sort of seat to be 'legal'?

 

They have moved over to height markers these days. There is no hard and fast rule but the principle is the child should have reached the height markers in one type of car seat before moving into the next stage. Weight isn't so much an issue although there are limits to that too.

 

In principal, if your 3 year old is of average weight and height, they most likely should be in a forward facing car seat, not a highback booster. Those car seats are designed with that age group/weight/height in mind and tested acocordingly. As to what seat you put your 3 year old in to, that is your decision. You will have to go and try them out and see if he fits the height markers. If he doesn't, the obvious thing to me would be to not put him in it till he does reach them. The seat has not been designed or tested for a child smaller and in event of an accident, it may not do the job it is intended for if the child is too small for the seat/seatbelt set up.

 

I've already stated I go for safety over price (and everything else for that matter) every time. The highly rated highback Boston Hipod for example only costs $99 and that works out $10 per year over 3 years from the one you were looking at earlier. There are no 5 star rated forward facing car seats, there are a few 4 star. Cost wise yes they are pricier than the highbacks but they are intended for a specific age/height range.

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It is road legal because it weighs less than 2kg, therefore getting round the top tether requirement. Its basically really lighweight and looking at the spec, narrow also. I'm not won over reading up on it.

 

Personally, I'd not touch it with a bargepole. It is not rated by CREP (the Aus standards testing for car seats) that I can see and I can think of highly rated impact tested car seats for not much more cost wise that I'd use. I go for safety over price every time and we found a very highly rated car seat (CREP tested) on special for $50 when we arrived and it only costs $99 at full price.

 

http://www.crep.com.au/crep-results.php

 

Would you mind sharing which car seat it is? We will be in Australia in June and will need one for my 6 year old and one for my 3 year old. We have Maxi-cosi and Romer right now and I`m really happy with them, what would be the best equivalent in Australia?

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Would you mind sharing which car seat it is? We will be in Australia in June and will need one for my 6 year old and one for my 3 year old. We have Maxi-cosi and Romer right now and I`m really happy with them, what would be the best equivalent in Australia?

 

We got the Boston Hipod for our 5 year old. Top rated, great price, much cheaper than the SnS hi liner (which has the same rating). Aged 4-8, height dependant etc.

 

As for your 3 year old, check the CREP results page and see what rates, then price them up. There are currently no 5 star rated car seats for range, only 4 star and below. Personally I don't find the Maxi cosi range here anything to write home about and they don't rate too highly. I'd look to Safe n Sound (Britax) Maxi Rider, latest model listed on CREP results for that age group.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi, I'm new on here and came across this thread when trying to get my head around the baby carrier / capsule issue. We are in Oz and have a baby due at the end of the year and will be heading to the UK at the beggining of next year. I get the whole not being legal stuf but I had an idea but not sure if it works! You know how the maxi cosi / Britax capsules have the base that the capsule clips on to. Are these fittings the same on both the UK and Aus bases - ie could I take the Oz capsule with me and clip it on to a UK base when I get there? Whilst I'm aware that it may not be strictly leagal I'm thinking at least it would be safe until I can get a new one if it would work (guessing that they have that covered and it won't work but wanted to ask lol!) ? Anyone know if this would work?

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Hi, I'm new on here and came across this thread when trying to get my head around the baby carrier / capsule issue. We are in Oz and have a baby due at the end of the year and will be heading to the UK at the beggining of next year. I get the whole not being legal stuf but I had an idea but not sure if it works! You know how the maxi cosi / Britax capsules have the base that the capsule clips on to. Are these fittings the same on both the UK and Aus bases - ie could I take the Oz capsule with me and clip it on to a UK base when I get there? Whilst I'm aware that it may not be strictly leagal I'm thinking at least it would be safe until I can get a new one if it would work (guessing that they have that covered and it won't work but wanted to ask lol!) ? Anyone know if this would work?

 

Aus capsules for babies are very different to the UK baby carriers. What capsule do you plan to use in Aus?

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Hi. I'm moving to Australia next week, I just can't get my head around car seats, it's one of my biggest worries. I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old. I have decided on the hipod Boston for my 5 year old, although target is a lot cheaper than other places, I assume its the same one. It is my 7 who is the problem. Can she just sit in the car because that doesn't seem very safe? Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

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  • 3 weeks later...

I would recommend a car seat of the booster variety, that's what they call them here which covers the older child, 4 years onwards but just check they fit. It looks like a normal forward facing car seat. My son has been using this one since we came here:

http://www.britax.com.au/car-seats/hi-liner-sg

He is 7 now. Be aware that you need a top tether in the car to secure it properly.

 

The hipod boston you mentioned can be used for the 7 year old too, why do you think they couldn't?

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Legally, you only have to have a child in a car seat / booster seat until they are 7.

In reality, car seat belts are manufactured for people with a minimum height of 145cm (4ft 9in.)

If your child is less than 145cm, it is safer that they use a booster of some type so as the seat belt operates on the correct part of the body.

The average age of a child to reach 145cm is 11 years old so in theory you want a booster of some type until they are 11.

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Are there any uk car seats with a top tether ? We need to get the next one up soon for our 3.5yr old but wondering if we can get one that we can then ship to AUS.
Probably not, it wont have the Australian Standards label on it.
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Are there any uk car seats with a top tether ? We need to get the next one up soon for our 3.5yr old but wondering if we can get one that we can then ship to AUS.

I have one I brought back from Australia for sale, private message me for details, it's barely used.

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What are the legal requirements for children under 3 in car seats ? In the Uk babies have to be rear facing till 9 months. Is it the same in Oz ? Thanks

you want them rear facing as long as possible, no matter what the law says, of they fit they rear face legs can be folded !

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