The best way to prevent injuries to children in a crash is by taking care to correctly restrain them while travelling in a car. By law, all passengers must be restrained appropriately at all times when travelling in a car. Children should be restrained using the right child restraint for their age and size.
All child restraints must comply with the Safety Standard for child restraints. When fitted and used correctly, restraints are very effective in protecting children in the event of a crash.
Never leave a child alone in a car
Leaving a child on their own, locked in a car on any day – even for a short period – can be fatal. The temperature inside a car can very quickly climb to dangerous .
Children are more at risk from heat-related problems than adults because they can lose fluid very quickly and become dehydrated, leading to heat stroke and potentially death.
Child restraints – rear and forward facing
When using child restraints:
- Check the harness and top tether have no twists and are firm.
- Make sure your child's arms are secured correctly by the harness and check the tension of the harness straps by fitting two fingers between the harness and the child.
- Check the seatbelt and harness buckles are clicked into place properly.
- If you are using an ISOFIX-compatible child restraint, make sure the ISOFIX attachments are correctly clicked into place.
Booster seats
When using booster seats:
- Use the booster seatbelt guide to make sure the sash part of the seatbelt is positioned on your child's shoulder.
- If there is a top tether strap, make sure it is correctly attached to the child restraint anchor location.
- Make sure the seatbelt is firmly adjusted.
- The lap part of the seatbelt should pass over the upper thighs and across the hips, not the stomach area.
Source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
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