How to fit a child restraint in a vehicle

Try before you buy or hire

Not all restraints fit all vehicles so always try the child restraint in the vehicle before buying or hiring it.

There will be some instances when you are unable to get a restraint to fit as securely as you would like and there is no suitable alternative restraint to try. You need to decide what is going to be safest for the child. Remember, it is better to have a child in a restraint, even if it can’t be secured as well as you would like, than in no restraint at all.

Installing a rear-facing restraint

Airbags

Never place a rear-facing restraint in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with an airbag. If activated, the airbag will throw a rear-facing restraint up against the vehicle seat and the baby could be seriously injured or killed. Side airbags don’t put children in child restraints at risk of injury, provided they stay within the confines of the restraint shell. Make sure there are no loose objects between the side airbag and the restraint.

An airbag is usually identified by a symbol on the front or side of the dashboard. Some airbags can be disabled.

Restraint angle

An infant restraint should be installed at around a 45-degree angle to the vertical. Less upright and the baby may be pushed upward and into the shoulder straps in a crash, and more upright may put a new-born baby at risk of its head falling forward and pinching off the airway.

If 45 degrees is too upright for the baby’s comfort, it is acceptable to have it slightly laid back. As the child grows, the restraint can be made more upright to offer better protection.

Some infant restraints have a visual level indicator which gives an indication of the correct angle for the restraint. The vehicle must be on a flat surface to get an accurate restraint angle. Few vehicles have flat back seats and vehicles have different shapes and angles so make sure that the restraint is at the right angle for the baby. A rolled small towel or cloth nappy underneath the restraint may help you achieve this.

Locking clips

A locking clip is a piece of metal or plastic that stops the lap portion of a lap/sash belt from lengthening during normal travel. It is not supplied with all rear-facing restraints. See page eight for more details.

Movement

The restraint shouldn’t move more than 7.5 cm in any direction once installed. Try another position or another restraint if the restraint moves around too much.

Tether straps

If the restraint has a tether strap, it must be used. In most vehicles the restraint will have to be placed in the back seat to secure the tether strap. See page nine for details.

Stabilising bar

Rear-facing restraints that meet the joint Australian and New Zealand standard will have a stabilising bar at the foot end. This is often mistaken for a footrest! The stabilising bar rests against the back of the vehicle seat and stops excess movement in crashes, along with the tether strap. The stabilising bar may be hidden and needs to be extended out into position.

Carry handles

With most child restraints, the carry handle must be down when the restraint is in the vehicle. Always check this in the instructions. If the diagonal part of the safety belt goes around the head-end of the restraint, the instructions are likely to require that the handle be down and resting against the vehicle seat.

Centre of the back seat is best

The centre of the back seat is the safest position for any child restraint. It is furthest away from the sides of the vehicles so the restraint is less likely to come into contact with the vehicle in a crash. However, you can’t always get a restraint to fit in this position. Also some restraints can only be installed with a lap/sash safety belt and there’s usually only a lap belt in the centre back of most vehicles.

Against the dashboard or the seat back

If there isn’t an airbag, the rear-facing restraint should be in contact with the back of the front seat or the dashboard. It will keep the restraint upright during a crash and help to prevent the child sliding up above the top of the restraint. If the rear-facing restraint is in contact with the vehicle, it reduces the forces of deceleration and the threat of injury to the child. The restraint is less likely to break if it is in contact with the vehicle at the time of impact. A tether strap on a rear-facing restraint also works in a similar way.

Fold-down armrest

If there is a fold-down armrest in the centre of the back seat, check the vehicle manual to see if the rear-facing restraint can be placed in this position. Generally, this position should be avoided because the armrest can swing down and hit the baby as the restraint rebounds.

Restraints with a detachable base
Some restraints have a detachable base that is installed in the vehicle and that the restraint simply attaches to. Some people find bases enable them to get the restraint in and out of the vehicle quickly and securely.

In some instances, the restraint may be installed with or without the base. Check the instructions. Always check that the restraint is correctly attached to the base as it could be ejected from the base in a crash if it is incorrectly attached.

Convertible restraints

These restraints can convert from a rear-facing to a front-facing position. A rear-facing convertible restraint takes up more room in a vehicle than a smaller infant restraint. Ideally, the top of a convertible restraint should touch the back of the vehicle seat when installed.

Installing a forward-facing restraint

When installing a forward-facing restraint, always:

• follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• check the way the safety belt is threaded though the restraint. It may be different from the rear-facing position
• remember the centre of the back seat is best and that child restraints can only go on a vehicle seat that faces forward
• put the restraint in the back if there’s an airbag in the front
• use a tether strap if the restraint is designed to be used with one. Secure the tether, then tighten it once the safety belt has been threaded through the restraint and tightened
• the restraint should not move more than 7.5 cm in any direction. Try another position in the vehicle, or another restraint, if you can’t achieve this
• kneel in the restraint (or put as much of your body weight in it as you can) as you tighten it to get a more secure fit.

Locking clips

A locking clip is a piece of metal or plastic that holds the lap portion of a lap/sash belt tight during normal travel, which helps hold the restraint firmly. It does this by clamping the webbing of the safety belt together next to the latch plate. The latch plate is the metal portion of the safety belt that clicks into the buckle.

They should be used if the latch plate slides freely. The locking clip is placed on the safety belt webbing within 2 cm of the latch plate. It never goes on the opposite side of the safety belt.

Not all restraints require locking clips. You don’t need to use a locking clip if:

• the restraint has a built-in locking device
• there is a static lap-only safety belt (found in older vehicles)
• the sash part of the safety belt goes around the head end of the child restraint.

Tether straps

A top tether strap limits and controls the movement of a child restraint during a crash reducing the possibility of serious neck and head injuries. When used on a forward-facing restraint, it also helps prevent the child’s head from hitting the front seat, particularly in smaller vehicles.

Parents can install anchor points for tether straps in most vehicles. If a hole for an anchor point has to be drilled, a mechanic or approved safety belt fitter can do this. Check the vehicle manual for information on drilling holes for anchor points in the correct place or for anchor point placement. The child restraint fitting instructions will have details about where holes for anchor points should be drilled in relation to where the restraint goes. Pre-drilled holes for anchor points may be found under a plastic or rubber bung. It can be confusing deciding which holes are specifically for the tether strap. For example, a luggage clip can’t be used as an anchor point. If a vehicle has been designed for the Australian market, it will have at least two holes for anchor points. If you use anchor points located at the back of the back seat, make sure the back seat is in the locked position to prevent it folding forward in a crash.

Common locations for anchor points

Since 1993, all tether strap attachments and anchor points have been compatible. The tether strap simply clips on to the anchor point like a dog lead and is pulled tight. All child restraints meeting the joint Australian/New Zealand standard will have a top tether strap. Since 1 September 1999, all forward-facing restraints meeting the American standard have needed a top tether strap but this is not a requirement for rear-facing American standard restraints.

If the original tether strap isn’t long enough, extension straps are widely available. There are two lengths – 30 cm and 60 cm.

If a restraint doesn’t come with a tether strap, you may be able to attach one to the restraint. The restraint manual will have this information. A tether kit can usually be purchased from a shop or the importer of the restraint.

Anchor points and attachments for tether straps

Many people aren’t aware of the considerable safety benefits of top tether straps. If you can explain that they offer additional protection to the head and that they are easy to install, parents may be more willing to use them.

Lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) systems and ISOFIX

The LATCH system is now seen in some vehicles and on some restraints. The LATCH system consists of lower anchorage bars in vehicles and upper anchorages on child restraints. This method of installation allows a child restraint to be snapped into place instead of being held by the safety belt. Lower anchorage bars or rods are found between the seat cushion and the seat back, and some vehicles have a symbol on the seat showing where they are. Upper anchorages are usually straps but can be rigid. All American standard child restraints have two upper anchorages and American vehicles are now manufactured with two lower anchorages, as well as an anchor point for an upper tether strap.

In Europe, the LATCH system is called ISOFIX and the restraints have rigid anchorages. The lower anchorage points are the same for American vehicles.

Restraints manufactured to the joint Australian/New Zealand standard may also start to appear with upper anchorages as more vehicles with lower anchorages arrive on the market.

The size of the bottom of the restraint sometimes makes the LATCH system difficult to attach. All restraints with upper anchorages can be installed using safety belts if the vehicle doesn’t have lower anchorages.

Common problems

Safety belt buckle

In some positions, the safety belt buckle catches against the frame of the restraint and tries to bend and thread through the back of the restraint frame. This places undue tension on the buckle and it may come undone in a crash. It can also be difficult to get a proper fit if the safety belt buckle comes through the base of the vehicle’s back seat. If you can’t adjust the safety belt so that only the webbing rubs against or threads through the restraint frame, try another restraint.

Short safety belts

Some safety belts will be too short to go around the top of an infant restraint Not all safety belts are long enough for this. If a restraint that needs the belt threaded this way won’t fit on the back seat, try the front seat if there’s no airbag. Moving the front seat back as far as possible will give you the longest length of safety belt. There may be an alternative route for the safety belt – check the restraint manual. If it’s still difficult to fit the child restraint securely, try another type of restraint.

Excessive restraint movement and seat contours

The shape of the vehicle seat and the size and shape of the restraint affects how the restraint fits. A high centre portion of a vehicle seat will make it difficult to fit a restraint securely. Put your knee on the restraint and push the restraint into the vehicle seat while attaching the safety belt so you can pull the safety belt tight. This should help keep the restraint tightly secured. If not, try another position in the vehicle or another type of restraint.

Size of the restraint

Sometimes, a convertible rear-facing restraint may be too large for a small car. If you have to move the car’s front seat forward a long way to fit the rear-facing convertible restraint in the back, there may not be room for a front seat passenger. Conversely, if you put the convertible in the front seat (if there’s no airbag) you may have no room for a back seat passenger.

Last updated: 11 May 2005