Child safety in the car

In most places, the law requires that children be restrained appropriately whenever they travel in a car. Children should use the right child restraint for their age and size, and that restraint should meet the safety standards that apply where you live. When fitted and used correctly, restraints are very effective at protecting children in a crash.

The best way to prevent injury to a child in a crash is to restrain them correctly every time they travel in a car. Before buying a restraint, it is worth checking independent safety and ease-of-use ratings where these are available.

Never leave a child alone in a car#

Cars can heat up very quickly, so never leave a baby or child alone in a vehicle, even in mild weather and even for a short time. The temperature inside a parked car can climb to dangerous levels within minutes.

Children are more at risk from heat than adults because they lose fluid quickly and can become dehydrated, leading to heat stroke and, in the worst cases, death. In many places it is also against the law to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time. Pets should also never be left alone in a parked car.

Fitting and checking a restraint#

Whenever you use a child restraint:

• Check that the harness and any top tether have no twists and are firm.
• Make sure your child’s arms are correctly placed under the harness.
• Check the harness tension by fitting no more than two fingers between the harness and the child.
• Make sure the seatbelt and harness buckles are clicked firmly into place.
• If you use a restraint with rigid lower attachments, make sure those attachments are correctly clicked into place.
• If there is a top tether strap, make sure it is correctly attached to the vehicle’s anchor point.

When using a booster seat, use the seatbelt guide so the sash (diagonal) part of the belt sits across your child’s shoulder.

Make sure the seatbelt is firmly adjusted#

The lap part of the seatbelt should pass over the upper thighs and across the hips, not across the stomach. The sash part should rest across the shoulder and chest, never across the neck or under the arm.

Choosing the right restraint by age and size#

Restraint rules vary from country to country, so always check the rules that apply where you live. As a general guide, children move up through restraint types as they grow, and it is safest to keep a child in their current restraint until they outgrow it rather than moving them up early.

The usual progression is:

• Babies (from birth): a rearward-facing restraint with an inbuilt harness.
• Toddlers: a rearward-facing or forward-facing restraint with an inbuilt harness.
• Young children: a forward-facing restraint with an inbuilt harness, or a booster seat used with an adult lap-sash seatbelt.
• Older children: a booster seat used with a lap-sash seatbelt, until they are big enough to use an adult seatbelt safely on its own.

There are also rules in many places about where children can sit. As a general principle, younger children are safest in the rear seats, and very young children should not travel in the front seat of a car that has more than one row of seats. Children up to around 12 years of age are generally safest in the rear.

Babies#

Babies must travel in a rearward-facing restraint. Each time you use it, check that the harness is adjusted to fit the baby as snugly as possible and is not twisted. For rearward-facing restraints, use the harness slot nearest to the child’s shoulders, but not below the shoulders. If you use a baby blanket, place it over the baby after you have secured them in the restraint, not underneath the harness. Keep using the restraint until your child outgrows its size limits.

Toddlers#

Use a rearward-facing or forward-facing restraint held in place by the adult seatbelt and the top tether strap. It is safest to keep a child in a rearward-facing restraint until they outgrow its size limits. Each time you use the restraint, check that the seatbelt is firm and that the harness straps fit snugly and are not twisted. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to adjust the harness as the child grows; for forward-facing restraints, use the harness slot nearest to the child’s shoulders.

Older children#

Children should use a forward-facing restraint or booster seat until they outgrow it. An adult lap-sash seatbelt is designed for people above a certain height, so a child who is too small needs a booster to position the belt correctly. Some booster seats suit children up to around 10 years of age. Simple booster cushions without a back are not recommended, as they offer less protection in a side-impact crash. A common way to check whether a child is ready for an adult seatbelt is the “five-step test”, which looks at how well the seatbelt fits when the child sits all the way back in the seat.

Children with disability or reduced mobility#

Children with a disability or reduced mobility may face particular challenges with safe car travel. Allied health professionals, such as an occupational therapist, can work with families to find safe strategies, including prescribing a special-purpose restraint. Any modification to a restraint should be made only on the advice of medical and allied health staff. Some exemptions to restraint laws may apply for a medical condition or physical disability; seek advice from a health professional who can recommend the best restraint for your child.

Hiring a restraint#

Restraint hire schemes let parents and carers hire a restraint for a set period, which can be useful for short-term needs or for visitors. There is usually a fee and sometimes a refundable deposit.

Traveling with children can be challenging#

Some tips to help make the trip more enjoyable for everyone:

• Praise or reward good behavior, and explain that the car cannot move until all seatbelts are buckled.
• Talk, sing, or play music to help the time pass.
• Play simple games such as “I spy”.
• If traveling a long way by plane or train, take your child restraint or booster seat with you.
• If you have a toddler and a baby, take the baby out of the car safely before the toddler gets out.
• Take a break roughly every two hours when driving, to reduce distress for passengers and fatigue for the driver.
• Secure loose objects such as toys, which could fly about and injure passengers in a crash or heavy braking.
• Where possible, have children get out on the curb side, away from traffic.

Key points#

• Use the right restraint for your child’s age and size, and keep them in it until they outgrow it.
• Fit and check the restraint correctly every time, with no twists and a snug harness.
• Never leave a child or pet alone in a parked car, even briefly.
• Younger children are safest in the rear seats.
• Always check the restraint laws and standards that apply where you live.

Where to get help#