Your Guide to Child Car Seat Safety

Having children is one of life's greatest milestones and we all want to protect our precious little bundles and keep them safe.

One really important purchase is the car seat and it's one item you do not want to scrimp on quality or safety features. Your guide to child car seat safety has all the essential you need to know!

We stock InfaSecure Car Seats as they are one of the highest quality and cleverly designed seats on the market!

What you need to know about child car seats in Australia

• All children up to 7 years of age must be secured in a child car seat, by law.
• The car seat must meet Australian/New Zealand standards (AS/NZS 1754) and come with a label and instructions.
• You must buy your car seat in Australia. Seats bought overseas do not comply with our standards and they are not compatible with Australian cars.
• The car seat must be installed correctly and your child must be restrained properly to fit them. 
• You should only use car seat accessories that come with the car seat or are approved for use with the car seat. 
• Child car seats should not have been in an accident, older than ten years or show any signs of damage. InfaSecure car seats have an expiry that is ten years from the date of purchase, not the date of manufacture.
• Choose the correct car seat for your child's age and size. Shoulder height markers will let you know when to upgrade the car seat. 

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Car Seat Safety Checklist 

This checklist from InfaSecure has some great information on how to make sure your car seat is safe for travel. 

• Ensure the seat is in a useable condition. Buckles function and click into place. The shell has no signs of cracks and harnesses and belts are not frayed.
• Install the car correctly - the tether strap is secure and the seat is installed firmly with little movement. 
• Check the harnesses and seat belt straps are not twisted. 
• If you have an adjustable head rest, make sure it is positioned correctly, just above the child's shoulders. 

Is your child's harness tight enough? 

Once your car seat is installed properly, the next step is to make sure that your child is fitted into the harness correctly. 

"The Pinch Test is the best way to determine whether your child’s car seat or capsule harness is tight enough. You should perform the pinch test every time you put your child in their car seat to ensure they are fitted correctly.

First, adjust your child’s harness to be nice and snug by pulling on the harness adjuster at the front of the seat. Then, attempt to pinch the shoulder strap webbing at your child’s upper chest or shoulder. If you’re able to pinch the strap, it’s too loose – you need to adjust the harness some more. When you are unable to pinch the strap, the harness is fitted correctly." InfaSecure

You can watch the Pinch Test demonstrated here.

Where should the car seat harness sit on your child? 

"For rearward facing restraints, the harness should be fitted through the slots or positioned as CLOSE TO AND ABOVE the child’s shoulders, NEVER BELOW.

For forward facing restraints, the harness should be fitted through the slots CLOSEST to the child’s shoulders. This means they can be above or below the shoulders, whichever is closest. They should be no further than 2.5cm distance from the shoulder in either direction." InfaSecure

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What is ISOFIX?

You might have seen ISOFIX compatible on car seats and wondered what exactly that means. Basically, ISOFIX is an international standard system that allows you to fit a car seat directly into a vehicle without using a seat belt. 

InfaSecure has more information: 

• IsoFix is an alternative method of securing your restraint to your vehicle.
• Your vehicle must have the Isofix connection points already manufactured
• A restraint can only have Isofix added at the point of manufacture.
• An IsoFix compatible seat can still be installed in a non-IsoFix vehicle or installed with the vehicle belt in an IsoFix vehicle.
• The top tether must still be used.
• IsoFix can only be designed on restraints catering for the ages of 0-4 only.

Car Seat Fitters

Fitting car seats yourself can be overwhelming, which is why there are professionals to help you fit it safely! InfaSecure has a great resource to find a certified car seat fitter near you. Simply type in your postcode and your nearest fitters are displayed. 

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We know this is a lot of information to take in but hopefully your guide to child car seat safety has been useful to you! 

All of our InfaSecure car seats are on display in store and you are more than welcome to come in, check them out and ask us questions. We offer free local Mackay delivery and AfterPay for you too!

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