Child restraint fitting services Child Restraint products are often sold based on the feel and colour of the fabric and the cushions provided and therefore allow a perception of comfort to override safety in the choosing process. Remember they are two completely different objectives. Secondly, any safety device is only as safe as it is used. The manufacturers of these products spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure they meet and exceed the stringent Australian safety standards guidelines. As many of these products are 'convertible' or multi-purpose in application, the understanding of how they should be fitted and or used daily is a greater challenge for many. All professional installers of Child restraints still occasionally have to stop and think extra hard and research instruction books to make sure that a particular product is being used as the manufacturer intended. Theoretically they are simple. Practice has proven otherwise. Choosing a child restraint is a challenging process, but taking into account a products ‘ease of use' factor is worthwhile. Also think about how the restraint will suit your needs at every stage of growth that your child will be using it and not just at the infant or other stage junior is at when purchasing it. The compatibility between the vehicle and the restraint is also a factor often overlooked. It's worth choosing a product that fits your vehicle and suits the rest of passengers in your car as well. Think about prospective new arrivals! Many ACRI professionals offer a consultancy service, which can identify strategies or products, with which you can make a fully informed purchase. Especially helpful when there are multiple restraint needs. NB: Your child's size or weight is necessary to choose an appropriate product.
| Weight
of
Child | Age
Range
(Approx) | Newborn
to
9kgs | Newborn
to
18kgs | 8kgs
to
18kgs | 8kgs
to
26kgs | 14kgs
to
26kgs | 14kgs
to
32kgs | | | Birth | Birth | A TYPE
Infant Only
Capsule | A/B TYPE
0-4 or Convertible | | | | | | | 8kgs | 4 to 12 months | B TYPE
'Child Seat' | B/E TYPE
Child Seat to Booster | | | | | 9kgs | 5 to 12 months | | | | | 14kgs | 18mths to 3 years | | E TYPE
Booster | C TYPE
Harness | | | 18kgs | 2 1/2 to 5 years | | | | 26kgs | 5 to 8 years | NB: If the straps of a restraint come from below shoulder height more than 2cm and or the child's eye level is above the back of the restraint, it's time for junior to move on. | | | up to
32kgs | 6 to 12 years | NB: A child needs to move out of a booster when they have reached the weight limit or when their eye level is above the back rest of the seat, head restraint or booster top. Remember we are looking for ‘whiplash' protection. | | | | | | | | | | | Child restraints are a necessity for the safe automotive travelling of our children.
1300 Children are killed or injured on Australian roads annually.
Our road laws attempt to provide protection for our children when travelling in cars, but parent awareness and vigilance are much more pertinent contributors to travelling
safely with children.
Child Restraint principles are simple but unfortunately there are many products that are often misunderstood in their day-to-day operation.
Understanding your restraint products and how to use them safely on a day-to-day basis is very important, as important as having it correctly installed in the first instance.
Thus the integration of a restraint product into your daily routine is paramount to the ongoing safe travel of your child.
In a 40 Klm collision a 15 Kg child's body can exert a force of 450 Kgs against their harness, child restraint chassis, anchorage tether and anchor system. Remember that's only 40 Kph?
Consider also that a child's size and weight varies enormously while they grow.
Restraint products are designed to protect a child of a particular size and weight range.
They should therefore be chosen and configured appropriately for the child at all times.
Facts:
Children cannot make decisions about their own safety, they rely on us.
More than 70% of child restraints used on our roads are NOT used correctly.
Children do get injured unnecessarily through the misuse of their restraint systems.
Other passengers may get injured though the misuse of child restraints. -
If you are loaned or given a restraint product from a friend or family member, ensure you have someone who knows the product well check it over and integrate it into your car. Keep in mind the previous owner may not have used it correctly or misunderstood the product specifications.
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Always select your restraint products by size and weight. Never age. -
Where possible use the center rear seat position first and as you run out of rear seats use the front seat as a last resort and put the largest child there. -
Check out the ‘Air bag’ criteria with the manufacturer of your particular vehicle before using any particular seat position. -
Keeping your child traveling in a restraint system up to the restraints maximum rating (size and weight) is usually the safest choice. As opposed to moving your child into the next stage at that restraint entry size and weight. -
Make sure that your seat belt and tether adjustments have no slack at all. -
Consider the best access side of the car and which child is the greater risk around traffic. Ie: Recognize the risks and manage them. -
Ensure that the passenger cabin of the car is safe from loose items that may become missiles when the vehicle stops, swerves sharply or is involved in a crash. Consider items such as umbrellas and tissue boxes on the rear panel under the rear window. -
Read your restraint product instruction booklet carefully before you use it. -
Try to think of your child restraint system as the safety device that it is, just like a life jacket on a boat or a parachute in an aircraft and the level of your safe use of it will increase. -
Never use the harness while it is twisted and or loose. -
Always remove all of the slack from the harness through the adjuster lock before every trip.
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