The rules outlined below are an overview, please refer to the rule references for more details.
Children under seven years of age must be in a child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car. The type of restraint will depend on the age of the child:
- under the age of six months: to be restrained in a properly fastened and adjusted approved rearward facing child restraint (e.g. infant capsule)
- from six months to less than the age of four: to be restrained in either a properly fastened and adjusted approved rearward facing child restraint or properly fastened and adjusted approved forward facing child restraint with inbuilt harness (e.g. child safety seat)
- from four years to less than the age of seven: to be restrained in either a forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness or booster seat restrained by a correctly adjusted and fastened seatbelt or child safety harness.
For more information refer to Child restraints.
Children under four years old must not be seated in the front seat (in vehicles with two or more rows of seats). Children four years to less than seven years old can only be seated in the front if all other seats in the row(s) behind are occupied by other passengers less than seven years old.
A rearward facing child restraint cannot be used in the front seat when there is a passenger air bag.
For more information refer to Child restraints.
Taxi drivers are exempt from ensuring all passengers over 16 are restrained, but must ensure children aged one to less than 16 years are restrained in ether a suitable approved child restraint or seatbelt. Parents are encouraged to provide their own suitable approved child restraints. Children under one year do not have to use a child restraint in a taxi if there is no suitable approved restraint available for use; children over one year must use a seat belt or child restraint (supplied by the passenger) in a taxi. All taxis have to provide an anchor bolt or fitting for one restraint.