Kids in cars to be restrained by age, not weight

Article by Herald and Weekly Times 29/05/2009

CAR booster-seats will be mandatory for Victorian children under the age of seven and they will be banned from riding in the front seat by the end of the year.

Under nationwide laws to be introduced in November, every child in Australian aged under seven will have to be restrained in the back seat by a baby capsule or booster seat.

Parents who fail to abide by the laws risk a $255 fine and three demerit points.

Victoria is the first state in Australia to announce implementation of the laws targeting kids in cars.

Roads Minister Tim Pallas said almost 300 children aged under seven were killed or injured on Victorian roads every year and the new laws would help save lives.

"This is an obligation that we all must share; it's about protecting our most vulnerable road-users and of course those which we value the most - our children,'' he said.

"These measures are modest, necessary and they will have a dramatic effect upon the wellbeing of children travelling in cars.''

Under the nationwide laws, babies aged under six months must be secured in a rear-facing infant restraint.

Children aged up to four years will have to be secured in a child restraint with an in-built harness, while those aged up to seven years are required to travel in either a restraint with a harness or an approved booster seat.

Children under the age of four will be banned from travelling in the front seat unless the vehicle has no back seat.

Those aged between four and seven will only be permitted to travel in the front seat if all the back seats are occupied by younger children.

Child-restraint regulations are currently based on a child's weight, not age, and will be replaced with more uniform laws.

Article by Herald and Weekly Times 29/05/2009