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In the ACT over 2015-2018, 7 people were killed in a crash while not wearing a seatbelt (17.5% of all deaths). Recent research by the Queensland University of Technology estimates that 20% of drivers and passengers killed in crashes nationally are not wearing seatbelts.
Not wearing a seatbelt, including not wearing it properly (e.g. under your armpits), significantly increases the chances of serious injury or death if you are involved in a collision. This could include projection through the windshield, being heavily forced into airbags and internal collision with other people in your vehicle.
It is the responsibility of the driver to make sure passengers are wearing their seatbelts properly, including the appropriate use of child restraints.
The main functions of a seatbelt are to:
slow down your body at the same rate as the vehicle in a crash
spread the force of the impact over the stronger parts of your body (pelvis and chest area)
prevent you from colliding with the interior parts of the vehicle
reduce the risk of being thrown from the vehicle.
Always ensure seatbelts are adjusted firmly. A poorly adjusted seatbelt will allow the occupant to move forward in a crash and increase the risk of head contact with part of the vehicle interior. In a crash, the occupant will experience high seatbelt loads as the seatbelt pulls against their body.
Seatbelts save lives
Our latest road safety campaign reminds drivers and passengers to always wear their seatbelts and of the serious consequences of not wearing a seatbelt.
Even if your car has airbags, you’re risking your life if you don’t wear a seatbelt. In modern cars, seatbelts are designed to work together with the airbags. In a crash, the seatbelt slows the speed of your body, so you impact safely with the airbag.
If you are in the front seat and not wearing a seatbelt in a crash, you will continue to travel forward at the speed the vehicle was travelling until something stops you. This could be the steering wheel, dashboard or windscreen. In some crashes, you may be partially or fully ejected from the vehicle, exposing you to other dangers.
If you are in the rear seat of the car and not wearing a seatbelt during a crash, you will continue to travel forward until something stops you, usually the front seats or another passenger.
Child restraints in vehicles
A child who is properly secured in an approved child car seat is less likely to be injured or killed in a car crash. In Australia, children aged under 7 years must use an approved and suitable child restraint when traveling in a vehicle.
Children 7 years or older should continue to use a child restraint suitable for their size. The suggested minimum height for a child using an adult seatbelt is 145cm, and they should meet the 5-step test.
A child restraint is a forward-facing or rear-facing child car seat or capsule, or a booster seat, used with an adult seatbelt or ISOFIX compatible attachment that is:
properly labelled as being compliant with the Australia/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 1754,
suitable for the age or size of the child, and
properly installed, fastened, and adjusted.
Learn more about the types of AS/NZS 1754 approved child restraints on the Product Safety Australia website or the ACT legislation register Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Booster Seat, Child Restraint and Child Safety Harness Approval 2020 (No 1).
For information about the different types of child restraints to carry children of all ages safely in cars (including rules on children sitting in the front seat), please visit: Ages and Stages - KIDSAFE ACT.
All restraints must be properly adjusted and fastened. For guidance on how to ensure the right fit for your child, please visit: Step by Step Guides - KIDSAFE ACT.
Child restraints must be properly installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This includes adjusting the car seat tightly with a seatbelt or ISOFIX and attaching it to an anchor point in the vehicle that is designed for a child car seat.
It is recommended that child restraints are installed or checked by an authorised fitter such as Kidsafe ACT. Kidsafe ACT will install your child restraint, check for damage and wear, adjust it to your child's size and show you how to use and adjust it yourself.
To book a child restraint installation or fit check, contact Kidsafe ACT.
Children with a medical condition or disability can use an alternative child restraint designed for them. They must have a certificate from a doctor saying they can use the restraint.
Caregivers requiring an exemption should contact Access Canberra.
Taxis
Taxi drivers are exempt from the child restraint laws for children under 7 where a suitable child restraint or booster seat is not available. However, they must not share a seatbelt with another passenger.
Taxis must be fitted with at least one child restraint anchorage point. Passengers can use their own child restraint or booster seat in the taxi.
A child under 7 must not travel in the front seat of a taxi.
Buses
A bus that has 13 or more seats including the driver doesn’t need to be fitted with seatbelts and child restraints are not required.
A child restraint or booster seat is required for a minibus (other than a public minibus) that has 12 or less seats including the driver. All passengers must use a properly fitted and suitable child restraint, booster seat or seatbelt.
Rideshare
Rideshare vehicles are not exempt from any of the child restraint laws. You must still use a child restraint as if it is your personal vehicle.
Vintage cars
The child restraint laws apply to all motor vehicles regardless of when they were built. This includes veteran, vintage and historic motor vehicles. You must still use an appropriate child restraint in vintage cars.
It is the driver’s legal responsibility to ensure all passengers, including children, travelling in the vehicle are correctly restrained in a suitable approved child restraint.
The driver can be issued with a fine for each passenger not properly restrained. This includes not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly fastened and adjusted child restraints.
