Last week I travelled to Sydney for work with my two little boys. At departure the shuttle bus that we had requested arrived without the child restraints I had been expecting. Harried and stressed, I boarded the bus with the boys, only to have Bub 2 hit his head, hard, on a handle in front of us when the bus lurched in traffic. There were tears (from both of us) however thankfully it was just a minor bump and no major harm was done. The incident has caused me to review the requirements in terms of child restraints interstate. It has also made me vow that I will never, ever put my son at risk like that again.
With that in mind, here is what my review of the requirements uncovered:
Correctly installed child restraints effectively decrease the number of children injured and killed on the road. Australian legislation to enforce the use of child restraints for all children under seven was introduced in March 2010. The NSW Road Traffic Authority describes these laws as follows:
- Children younger than six months must be secured in a rearward facing restraint.
- Children aged six months to under four years must be secured in either a rear or forward facing restraint.
- Children aged four years to under seven years must be secured in forward facing child restraint or booster seat.
- Children younger than four years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows.
- Children aged four years to under seven years cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in a child restraint or booster seat.
Fines and penalties vary across the states and territories for drivers not complying with this legislation.
Most parents comply with legislation in place to protect their children during day to day drives in their hometown. Unless taking your own car on a trip, using child restraints can become more difficult when you are travelling. There is the possibility that parents may find it all just too hard – placing their children at a risk of harm (as I did). There are a variety of situations when travelling which make it difficult to comply with this legislation. The following tips are designed to assist you to protect your children in each of these.
Hiring a car
Car hire companies will usually offer the use of a child restraint as a courtesy if you request one when booking. Initially we used this service however our experience was frequently disappointing even with the major rental companies. In the past car restraints offered to us by rental companies have been broken, the wrong size for our infant, not there at all when we arrived, and the hire car missing installation points. Rather than put our child at risk we now either take our own car seat or hire one at our destination. When booking your car request that the car you hire has enough restraint installation points in place for the children who will need them.
Catching a taxi
From a safety perspective, child restraints should be used in taxis to minimize the risk of harm to your child. The laws regarding use of child restraints in taxis do vary however between states. In general they are laxer than the laws regarding the use of child restraints in private vehicles. For example in NSW infants under twelve months must ride in a child restraint while in a taxi however those over one year need not. They must however occupy their own seat and have their own seatbelt. Prior to your travel, check with the relevant road traffic authority in the state you are visiting to update yourself the local legislative requirements.
I suggest providing your own restraint however some companies will allow you to hire one. If using your own child restraint in a taxi they will need to have the appropriate installation point. You can request this when booking a taxi. If arriving into an airport and you have not booked a taxi in advance check with airport customer service to see if they are able to assist you.
Catching a shuttle bus
Once again the safety perspective suggests that child restraints should be used in buses to minimize the risk of harm to your child. The laws regarding use of child restraints in buses also vary between states. In general, children riding in buses with more than 12 seats do not require restraints. Generally smaller buses carrying 9-12 people only require restraints for infants under 12 months. Some shuttle buses are able to provide a child restraint however clarify this when you make your booking (I thought I had). It is prudent to always arrange shuttle bus transfers prior to your arrival at an airport.
Traveling overseas
Motor vehicle accident is the second leading cause of death for Australians travelling overseas. Different traffic laws, road and vehicle conditions contribute to this. In the interest of child safety when traveling do not embrace local customs regarding the use of child restraints if they are laxer than our own. I suggest behaving as if you are in Australia in terms of the use of restraints in order to best protect your child. Taking an Australian child restraint with you may give your child additional protection over ones supplied elsewhere. Familiarize yourself with the legislation in the country you are visiting and be aware that if you do not comply with that countries safety standards you may be penalized – some countries, such as the USA have rigid safety requirements and it is sensible to comply with them when visiting.
Car seat solutions
With more than one child the logistics of bringing your own car restraint becomes tricky. In addition, airlines may charge you extra for checking additional baby items as luggage.
- Baby hire companies exist in most towns. If you provide your arrival details some companies will deliver your child restraints directly to you at the airport. Hire for Baby is a company that we use when we travel domestically. They install the restraint into a friend’s or family’s cars for us before we arrive so the car is ready for the airport pick-up. They will also install a car seat into your rental car before you arrive at many Australian airports.
- Consider hiring a driver to pick you up from the airport. A number of companies are responding to the new legislation by catering to families requiring a number of car seats. An added benefit of a driver is that they also assist you with your luggage. This is a service which I use when travelling alone with my children. It is impossible to fit a car seat in a rental car while keeping my eye on two small children in a busy car park. The price is usually only marginally higher than the cost of a taxi.
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