Important tips for using child safety seats during travel in Australia

Don’t miss Sydney: 5 Best with Kids Under 5

One common misconception among the American parents I hear from is that our car seats and our car seat laws in the U.S. are the toughest anywhere. Not so. In fact, the European branded car seats you may purchase here are manufactured to meet our FMV standards only–not those of Europe or the U.K., which are different and some would argue more rigorous.

Regardless of whether your child’s car seat comes from the U.S., Canada., the U.K., continental Europe, or any other part of the world, if you’re planning a family vacation to Australia you’d better be prepared. Australia’s child safety seats are in fact tested to the highest standards in the world, and some of their laws concerning the use of car seats and safety boosters may  not only be different from what you are accustomed to at home, but you may also be more likely to be fined for not adhering to the laws down under.

Helping us sort through the new, nationwide car seat laws in Australia is Sydney resident and AusMumpreneur Nominee, Danni Guerreiro. Danni owns Rock-a-Bye-Baby Equipment Hire of Sydney, which now includes airport concierge service, and she was kind enough to answer my questions that follow here.

• Children under four years of age must not travel in the front row of a vehicle with two or more rows.
• Children riding in the front seat of a vehicle who are aged from four to seven years of age must be seated in a forward facing restraint or booster seat, even in the front seat.
• Children from four to seven years of age can only sit in the front row of a vehicle with two or more rows when all other seats are occupied by children of a lesser age in an approved child restraint.