New laws start today. If your child is under 8, he or she needs to be in a child restraint in your car. A child restraint is a special car seat for small children or a booster seat when they are a bit older. A booster seat must be in the back seat of your car. It is now the law for 6 and 7 year olds. For 8 year olds, they must be in a booster seat if one is available.
When your child’s eye is level with the top of the car seat, it is time to move to a bigger seat. Australian law does not allow half booster seats so if you use a half booster seat in New Zealand, make sure there is enough support for your child’s head.
Make sure the seat belt is across the top of your child’s thighs, not tummy. It must be away from the neck also.
In some European countries, a child must be in a child restraint until the age of 12 or until the child is 150cm tall. Do up your own seat belt and look at where the belt sits across your chest and thighs. Now check the seat belt on your child. Is your child protected exactly the same as you – with the belt across his or her shoulder, upper chest and thighs? That is what a booster seat does. It lifts up the child to make the seat belt safe. All parents want their children to be safe. Don’t take a risk with your child.
Vocabulary
- restraint – holds a child in one place
- boost – increase; a booster seat increases a child’s height.
- thighs – top of legs
- do up – opposite: undo