Passenger Safety

Whenever children are passengers in vehicles they should be buckled-up in CHILD RESTRAINTS that are correct for each child's size (height and weight).

The law requires that all children must be restrained when travelling in a car. Using a restraint that fits your child correctly significantly reduces their risk of injury in a car crash.

To provide the best available protection for a child passenger:

Use an approved restraint with the Australian Standards Mark.
Choose the best restraint for your child’s size and keep them in this restraint until they no longer fit.
Use this restraint for every single journey.
Ensure restraints, including second hand restraints, are fited and checked by an RTA Authorised Restraint Fitter, and refer to restraint manufacturer's insutrctions.

Where possible restraint all children in the back seat of the car. Child restraints including booster seats must not be fitted in the front seat of a car fitted with a passenger airbag.

For more information on the correct restraint for your child or to find an Authorised Restraint Fitter in your area, call the RTA Enquiry Line on 13 22 13. Always encourage children to use the 'safety door' which is closest to the footpath (and away from the road).

Recently completed research into child passenger safety shows that children are being moved on from child restraints before they are ready. Click here to get some up to date information on the selection and use of the most appropriate restraints for children.

Kidsafe NSW in conjunction with the Motor Accidents Authority has developed the "Choose Right Fit Right" campaign on child passenger safety. For more information or resources available as part of this campaign, go to the road safety publications section of this website.

Ben Walker from the South Sydney Rabbitohs knows how important it is to stay fit and injury free and is a valued supporter of MAA ‘Arrive alive’ road safety messages to help protect young people from the terrible consequences of road crashes.

Ben is also very keen to make sure that his own children have the best available protection in the event of a car crash. Ben recently took part in the “Choose Right Fit Right’ campaign to promote the need to choose, correctly fit and always use the best restraint for a child’s size.

Ben’s younger son Jack is 2½ and is in the size range for a forward facing child seat. When Jack no longer fits into this restraint, when he is about 18kg, or about 5 years old, a booster seat will provide the best passenger protection.

For more information about child passenger safety visit the following websites:

You can also request a free child road safety enquiry package from Kidsafe NSW by calling (02) 9845 0890 or by emailing the Road Safety Coordinator

This web page has been developed as part of the Child Road Safety Initiative, funded by the Motor Accidents Authority and based at Kidsafe NSW.

Last updated February 2007