Car Safety for Littlies

Car safety for your littlest passengers

Car seats and safety tips for parents 

When you become a parent, keeping your child safe is your most important job, and safety in the car is particularly important. Most of us drive so regularly that we forget how dangerous cars can be – but car crashes are one of the most common causes of injury and death for children.

Car seats are now more sophisticated and high-tech than ever before, which is good news when it comes to keeping your children safe. But as seats have changed, so have the rules and guidelines about installation and use. This is where it gets confusing – many parents are not sure about car restraint laws or best practices.

You have to choose from a huge range of car seats, install them properly, then work out how to get your brand-new baby strapped in safely. It can be a minefield, so it’s a good idea to work out what you’re doing well ahead of time – you don’t want to be googling info on the way to the hospital.

Here’s our guide to car safety for young kids in NZ.


Car seat law in New Zealand

Children are far smaller than adults, and they’re built differently as well. That’s why car seats are essential – they protect delicate bodies in case of an accident. Seat belts are designed to sit in the right place on adult bodies, but not on lighter, shorter children. They can actually cause damage to children’s organs in a crash.

That’s why the law says that children in New Zealand must travel in an approved, appropriate car seat up to the age of seven. The seat must be installed correctly, and the child must be secured properly. After seven, she should use a booster seat until she is tall enough for safety belts to fit correctly.


Safety tips for little ones

Car seats are key, but there are other car safety considerations as well, especially as your child gets older. It’s important to never leave your baby or child in the car alone – even if you’re only leaving for a few minutes. 

Here’s what to remember:

  • - Install baby and child seats in the back seat, as this is the safest place – front airbags can be deadly to small children in a crash.
  • - Put your child in his seat and secure the straps every single time – even a short journey could be dangerous.
  • - Never leave children in the car alone, even for a short time – babies and small children can overheat and dehydrate very quickly if left in a car.
  • - In warm weather, make sure your car is air-conditioned, or keep a window open to provide airflow.
  • - As your child gets older, teach him to get out of the car on the footpath side if possible – if not, make sure he waits for an adult to get him out of the car.
  • - If you’re taking multiple children out of the car, teach them to keep a hand on the side of the vehicle while they wait.
  • - Don’t let children play with car doors or controls unsupervised.
  • - Activate child safety locks while driving if your car has them.

 

The right car seat at any age

When you look at the huge range of options, car seats can seem overwhelming. What’s right at each age? How do you install them correctly? How do you know when your child is ready for the next type of seat?

The good news is, there’s actually a fairly simple progression of seat types for different ages – from 0-2 most babies should be in a rear-facing car seat, from two to around four or five they should be in a front-facing restraint, and after that, they should stay in a booster seat until they’re 148cm tall.

Read our full guide to car seats here


Rear-facing restraints

Rear-facing child restraints are the safest option for small babies and toddlers. Because small children have large heads in proportion to their body size, a crash in a forward-facing seat can cause devastating damage to the neck and spine – so try to keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible. Experts recommend facing your baby backwards until she’s at least two, so if she outgrows her seat before then, you could think about buying a rear-facing seat with a higher height or weight limit.

You can choose to use a rear-facing capsule-style seat for your new-born, or go straight to a convertible seat that takes you from infant to pre-school – or further.

Rear-facing tips:

  • - Buy or rent an appropriate seat well before your baby is born – hospitals won’t let you leave without a car seat for your newborn.
  • - Read the instructions carefully and install the seat correctly – many retailers will help with installation or check to make sure your seat is properly fitted.
  • - Put the car seat in the back seat of the car if possible – front seat airbags can be seriously dangerous to babies and small children.
  • - If your vehicle doesn’t have a back seat, a rear-facing seat can be installed in the front passenger seat – but ask your mechanic to deactivate the airbag or move the seat back as far as you can.
  • - Don’t let small babies sleep in their car seats if you’re not driving, as the upright position can cause breathing difficulties in some cases.
  • - Always use a seat that’s appropriate to the weight and height of your baby – if you start with a capsule, you’ll probably need to switch to another rear-facing seat when your child is around six months old.


Forward-facing car seats

When your child outgrows his rear-facing position, you need to turn his seat around. You can tell he’s ready for the switch when the top of his head reaches the top of the car seat or the marked height limit, or when your baby’s weight reaches the limit for your particular seat.

Forward-facing tips:

  • - Install the seat properly – don’t forget to use the tether strap if the seat needs one.
  • - Put the car seat in the back seat of the car unless there’s absolutely no other option – front seat airbags can be seriously dangerous to babies and small children.
  • - Always secure your child in the seat correctly – straps should sit flat and tight, and the central clip should be pulled up to sit in the centre of the child’s chest.


Booster seats

Unlike car seats, boosters don’t have a harness to hold the child in place – they just lift her into the right position to use the car’s seat belt. Your child is ready for a booster when her eye level reaches the top of her car seat, or when she reaches the recommended weight for your model of the seat. If your child grows out of her seat and you still want the safety of a child restraint, you can look for a seat with a higher maximum weight.

Children should use a booster until they’re tall enough to use the car’s safety belts on their own – the belt should cross over the shoulder, rather than the neck, their legs should bend over the edge of the seat while their back reaches the seat, and the lap belt should cross their pelvis and thighs. Most children can stop using a booster at around 12 – or 148cm tall.

Booster tips:

  • - Look for a booster seat with a belt guide to help position the seat belt on your child’s shoulder, rather than close to the neck
  • - Only use a booster seat with a full seat belt – lap belts will not hold them safely.

 

Keeping your babies safe

It may sound like a lot to learn, but keeping your children safe in the car is pretty straightforward once you get started. Just remember – try to keep them rear-facing and in a five-point harness for as long as you can.

And if you’re confused about choosing the right car seat or installing it properly, talk to our expert team – we’re always happy to help.