Child Car Seats

Child Car Seats

Keep your child safe in the car. Make sure your baby is in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 2 years old. Keep your child in a booster seat until they are 148cm tall - for most children, that's somewhere between 10 and 12 years of age.

Why child restraints

An overview of why child car seats are so important to keep your child safe on the road. This video is also available in te reo Māori. A Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) video.

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Key points to remember about car seats

  • properly using a car seat is one of the most important things you can do to keep your baby or child safe
  • New Zealand law says all children in vehicles must be correctly secured in an approved car seat (restraint) until their 7th birthday 
  • use a car seat that is made for your child's weight and height. 
  • to be safest, children need to be in booster seats until they are 148cm tall - this is usually when they are somewhere between 10 and 12 years old
  • keep your baby in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 2 years old

Why are car seats important?  

Child car seats, booster seats and safety belts can prevent injuries and save your child's life when installed and used properly. 

It is important you use a car seat that is made for your child's weight and height and carefully follow the instructions to fit it to your vehicle. 

Generally, it's best to put your baby in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, or until they are 2 or older. Once they have outgrown this, they can go into a forward-facing one.  

It's always safest for car seats to be placed on the back seat. This is because during a crash, a front seat air bag goes off at a high speed and can be dangerous to your child. 

What should I look for when buying a car seat?

The Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) website has tips on buying a car seat on its website. Waka Kotahi NZTA's videos talk you through the legal requirements for using car seats in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Watch this Waka Kotahi NZTA video to find out about buying a child car seat.

Watch this Waka Kotahi NZTA video in te reo Māori to find out about buying a child car seat.

Where should I put the car seat in my car?

Watch this Waka Kotahi NZTA video to find out the best place to install your car seat in your car.

Watch this Waka Kotahi NZTA video in te re Māori to find out the best place to install your car seat in your car.

How do I install my child's car seat?

Watch Waka Kotahi NZTA's 'introduction to fitting' guide video.

Watch Waka Kotahi NZTA's 'introduction to fitting' guide video in te reo Māori.

Car seats in New Zealand typically meet one of these three standards:

  • NZ/Australian
  • European
  • United States

Find out more about how to install your child's car seat by following the instructions at the bottom of Waka Kotahi NZTA's guide to installing car seats. 

Where can I find more tips on installing car seats?

The Waka Kotahi NZTA site has a series of short videos with further helpful tips on installing and maintaining your child's car seat.

Check out all of Waka Kotahi NZTA's short videos for tips on installing and maintaining your child car seat.

Videos include:

What if I have more questions about my child's car seat?

Waka Kotahi NZTA has a series of short videos answering common questions about car seats.

Check out Waka Kotahi NZTA's website to see all the videos answering common questions about car seats. 

Videos include:

How can I find a car seat technician in my area?

See the Waka Kotahi NZTA website for a list of qualified car seat technicians across the country.

A map of New Zealand

How can I tell if my child still needs a car restraint or booster seat? 

Tamariki must use a booster seat until they are 148cm tall - for most children, that's somewhere between 10 and 12 years of age. 

Use Safekids' 5 step test if you're unsure if your child is ready to move out of the booster seat. If you answer 'no' to any of these questions, your child needs to be in a child restraint or booster seat. 

  1. Does your child sit all the way back against the vehicle seat?  
  2. Do your child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the vehicle seat?  
  3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and the arm? 
  4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?  
  5. Can your child stay seated like this for the whole trip? 

 

References

Safekids car seat safety information for babies (from birth to 11 months), 1 to 2-year-olds, 3 to 4-year-olds, and car safety resources.

External links and downloads

Requirements for using child restraints in New Zealand (Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency)

Under New Zealand law, all children under 7 years of age must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size. Children aged 7 must be secured in a restraint if one is available in the vehicle. Check the website for more information.

Tags
Injury Prevention

This page last reviewed 23 September 2022.

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