Car child restraint videos help parents ensure babies and children are safe

Three new videos by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and RACV show parents and carers how to make sure babies and children are in properly fitted and adjusted child restraints and booster seats.

Nino’s Child Restraint Challenge, is a series of short videos showing every day scenarios wwith real life parents how to secure their babies, toddlers or children in either forward facing car seats, rear facing car seats or booster seats.

Their efforts are then assessed by Nino Cipriani, the RACV’s accredited restraint fitter, who identifies some of the common mistakes that are made when putting children in child restraints.

TAC Road Safety Major Projects Manager Elizabeth Waller said the videos were made for parents so they could see everyday people putting their children in vehicles and then receiving helpful and positive feedback.

“The videos aim to encourage parents to make sure their children are put safely in vehicles and to pass that important information on to carers who may also be transporting their children,” Ms Waller said. 

Some of the common mistakes include twisted straps or not adjusting harness straps as children grow.

“Research shows that children who are restrained incorrectly are up to seven times more likely to be seriously injured in a crash than children who are restrained correctly.” 

Between January 2008 to December 2012, there were 334 children aged 0-7 years killed or seriously injured as a passenger in a car. 

The videos were produced by the TAC together with the RACV and are supported by VicRoads and KidSafe. They can be seen on the TAC website or TAC Youtube channel.

The videos can be viewed here:

• Rear facing child restraints
• Forward facing child restraints and
• Booster seats 

For more information please call the TAC’s Emily Bogue on 0429 416 778.

• A child under 6 months of age to travel in a rearward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness.  
• A child aged 6 months to under 4 years to travel in either a rearward facing or forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness. 
• A child aged 4 years to under 7 years to travel in either a forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness, or a booster seat. 
• A child aged 7 and over years to travel in either a booster seat or an adult seatbelt. 

NOTE: For optimal safety and to achieve the best fitting restraint, parents should only transition children to the next stage of restraint once they outgrow their current restraint.

The RACV has fitting stations across Victoria for parents who wish to have a restraint installed by an expert. Call Motoring Advice on 9790 2190 or visit the RACV website for more information.