Highest rated: Of the seats tested, Nuna Aace (CS-41-001AU) was the highest rated, with a 5-star protection score. There are also booster seats that children can use until they are at least 10 years old. Remember that kids should keep using a booster for as long as possible, at least until they can pass the five-step test for good seatbelt fit.Īge of use: Four years to at least seven years old. Parents are spoilt for choice in this category, with eleven seats receiving four-stars and above as a protection rating. To see all seats tested in this category, click here.
Highest rated: Of the seats tested, Nuna Pipa Klik (CF-06-001AU) tested with ISOFIX and the Cybex Cloud Q were the highest rated, with 5-star protection ratings.
Some brands also offer an option that clicks into a pram.Īge of use: Capsules are generally for use from birth to at least six months however, some are available for use from birth to 12 months. These seats are commonly called capsules and click into a base installed in the car. Once children outgrow their seat, they will need a new one. From baby and toddler seats to boosters and convertibles, these are the highest-rating child car seats by category. “The results demonstrate that not all car seats are created equal and price is not a good indicator of safety so parents need to remain vigilant when it comes to choosing the appropriate restraint for their child.”ĬREP has tested many of Australia’s top-selling car seats. While overall protection ratings are paramount, Elvira says ease of use should also be taken into consideration as the simpler a car seat is to install and use, the more likely it is to be used correctly. “The CREP independent testing is tougher than Australian Standard requirements in order to help parents make an informed decision about which seat to buy based on actual performance, not what they are being told by a salesperson,” Elvira explains. This means even a one-star CREP safety rated seat performs over and above the minimum requirements.
While Australian Standards specify a range of design and performance requirements and involve some crash testing, the CREP ratings assess how a seat performs over and above the minimum safety requirements of the standard. Your child's safety is of paramount importance, which is why all seats tested by CREP comply with Australian Standards.
BRITAX CAR SEAT CHECK INSTALL
The CREP assessments aim to educate parents about which restraints offer the best protection, by assessing child car seats not only on how they perform in crash tests, but also how easy they are to install and use. The car seats are scored based on several performance aspects, such as how well they maintain structural integrity and how well they protect the child’s torso in a car crash. RACV’s Elvira Lazar says the program exists to enable parents to compare and find the seats that have the best protection ratings.įor the assessments, test dummies measuring the upper end of the height and weight limit for each type of seat are put into a crash simulation to measure the forces experienced by the dummy on impact. In its latest round of assessments, the independent Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) has given its first five-star safety performance rated rearward facing seat, while others just passed the Australian Standard.ĬREP is a national consortium including Kidsafe and the Transport Accident Commission. These are Australia’s safest baby, toddler and child car seats for 2021.Īustralia’s safest baby and child car seats have been revealed, again with mixed results.