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Just wondering if anyone is aware of a rear-facing toddler seat available in Australia.
I was listening to something on the radio recently discussing how much greater the risk of serious injury or death is for kids up to the age of 4 when facing forwards (it's like a five-fold increase in the risk or something).
I've had a bit of a look online and haven't seen any rear-facing seats for toddlers though - are they available here at all?
i believe the highest rated is 12 kg rearward facing
remembering length does not matter in the instance of their legs but their head still needs to be with in the head protection area..
I looked into this a while ago and couldn't find any beyond 12kg. You can buy ones online from OS that go up to greater weights, but they aren't approved by Aus Standards and in the event of an accident you would be likely to have insurance problems (or so I've heard- i never got that confirmed as a fact).
No, 12kgs is the limit here in Aus. It's such a shame!
DH is a child restraint fitter and he was given the statistics of rearward travel safety. Apparently it is safer for everyone to face backwards while travelling!! Unfortunately most adults get sick so it will never eventuate. But they are really beginning the push to get higher weight ratings for toddlers atm. Maybe in a few years we might see some headway.
In the meantime keep your baby facing backwards until they hit the limit in the seat. People often look at me strangely when they see me putting my 14mo in rearfacing, and ask me if he gets bored...:angry: Who cares if he gets bored - he stays safe! And for the record he has never complained, never seems to get bored and he sits forward facing in his Grandma's car (her seat is rated to 9kgs and he has grown out of it rear-facing!). Get a mirror so you can see them and they can see you and all will be well!
Sorry, this may not apply to you specifically Marcellus, but just thought I would put it in for anyone perusing the thread!
MT - I'll be leaving DS rear facing until he is too big for the rear facing car seat too ....... sooooooooooooooooooooooo much safer. LOL at them getting bored, dont think they'd care. I'd rather have a bored child than an injured/dead one!!
i really look forward to changing to forward facing though.. but i know what you mean about rather safe than sorry.
Absolutely MN! And honestly DS has never gotten bored from facing backwards! He can still see out the window - just more on an upward angle so he gets to see trees and power poles and trucks!! And with the mirror on the headrest he loves to look at himself and make faces and watch himself, and of course he can see me in the mirror as well.
Hollo - Just out of curiosity, why is that you are looking forward to changing to forward facing? It's never occurred to me to look forward to it, and I have heard others say the same thing. Which is why I am curious! I had one friend whose bub had to change to forward facing cos he grew out of rear-facing and she really loves it and says it is so much better because she can see him. Maybe this is why I have never thought about it, because I have the mirror and can see him clearly. I'm also a little worried about when I do turn him that I won't be able to see him unless I turn my head to look, which could be a little dangerous while driving.
I have a mirror also - DS can see me and I can see him - fantastic investment!!
well we dont have the mirror, so being able to see her and her to see us will be good. also easier to get into the seat when it is forward facing. the sun wont come through the back window and blind her. she tries to sit up so that her head doesnt lay flat against the back of the car seat when it is rearfacing so it will be more comfy when forward facing. her sis is in a maxi next to her and if she is forward facing it will be easier for them to look at each other. hmmm... i'm sure there are other reasons but thats all i can think of at the moment.
but you are right, it is the most safest position. i just have to put up with it for longer. she is 6 months and only 7kg so cant turn her 'legally' yet anyway. they have to be 8kg i think.
DD2 is 8 kg and a friend commented that i can now turn her :o eerrrrrr nope i wont be!! DD1 was backward til 13 months and DD2 will be for as long as possible.
my theory is that they dont know any difference, and with DD1 forward facing and DD2 backward its easier fof them to see each other!
i've got a cousin who front-faced her baby at six months...i always thought she was off the rocker, but this confirmed it :\ aiming to rear-face dd till age 2:pray:
i understand what you girls are saying about it being safer rear facing... and i most likely will delay it. but really if it was THAT unsafe surely the australian safety standards wouldnt allow them to be forward facing at 8kg..
Hollo, I was really looking forward to putting ds forward facing till one of the BB girls showed me this link YouTube - The Importance of Rear-Facing Scary stuff...
ETA- Just a disclaimer- that video can prove a bit distressing so watch with caution. I was in tears the first time I saw it (emotive music doesn't help either!)
Hollo - I guess I kinda thought the same thing; just didn't realise how much of a difference it would make in an accident.
I turned DS around at about 10 months and, I'm ashamed to say, it was entirely for my own convenience.
After hearing the statistics - it's like 300%+ more likely to be seriously injured if facing forward, not just a little bit safer - I really wish I'd waited as long as possible. DS is too big now anyway, but he could have stayed rear facing at least 2-3 more months I think. Just lucky we didn't have an accident.
I started looking online for OS models, but hadn't considered insurance issues...maybe I'll write to choice and see if they have a lobby going on this or not.
Good idea Marcellus. I'm not sure who else we could contact about this either.... anyone know?
I had people commenting since DS was 6 months old that you can turn him around you know!!!!
I left him rear facing till 14 months when he was turned around. As was about 1kg off the weight limit.
I recently had to turn DD cause she was just too tall to be rear facing anymore, poor thing was licking her knees!! I had planned to leave her rear facing till at least 18mths. I will follow and see where this goes, I know in Europe you can get the seats that stay rear facing till 2 but again it is getting them past our standards.
That is something that DH's restraint fitting trainer said. It seems that most people look at changing to front-facing as a kind of 'graduation' for bubs. They are now 6 months so you can turn them around.... and it doesn't help that no one actively encourages them to not turn it around. I know when Jett turned 6 months my MCHN said he is now of the age where the seat can be turned, but he hadn't yet hit the minimum weight so I should wait a bit longer. I remember walking out of there thinking how many people would take that as permission to turn the seat now they are old enough....:shakehead: and not realise how much their safety is compromised. And people can get in the habit of thinking they are a safe driver so nothing will happen, but sometimes it isn't you that makes the mistake on the road, but you can still be involved.
There needs to be more public education about it, and it not to be seen as part of the graduation process like feeding solids etc. but completely as a safety mechanism.
fair enough.. but like i said before.. it is passing the australian standards atm. i hvent had a chance to look at the link yet and i am all for keeping our bubs safer on the road. but yeah.. just wondering why its allowable this way in australia.. kwim?
side note.. we just went on a holiday had to drive 3 hours in the car. got to the destination and for some reason had a look at the car seat and the anchor thingy was not attached! i was furious at DH who had taken chair out a few weeks prior and put it back in. he swears black and blue he attached it. so yeah, i will be checking that they are all anchored properly before driving in the future. so lucky we didnt have an accident.
Yeah, DS was close to the height limit when we turned him, so that's why I don't think it would have lasted much longer anyway.
The radio programme I heard mentioned rear facing seats in Europe that would last till 4!
I did the same thing just a few days ago with dd's capsule :redface: She was screaming, ds was having a tanty, was trying to get the shopping in the car... and just forgot to clip up the anchor strap... oops...:
Not sure if I am allowed to post this - apologies Mods if not (and feel free to remove) but its an important message to share. I checked the forum guidelines but couldnt' find anything specific to the below type of link (perhaps I am not looking in the right place)
YouTube - Front facing or Rear facing? Car seat safety TRUE STORY crash test videos
I've done that myself - got half way down the street and realised. And one time DH took the seat out and put it back in wrong. If we'd been in a crash, DS would have been catapaulted into the back of the seat.... he couldn't understand why I was angry!:
That's a good question Hollo - why aren't the aussie standards different?
finally got around to looking at the link. super scary stuff. your right it has made me all for RF as long as possible. but the question remains... what about the australian standards. unless people actively search for this stuff they arent to know any better. its odd.
when you say they where to tall, is it the legs are bent or the straps are below sholder hight. My dd 15 months is still in her unity capsule (she is small though 75cm and just on 9 kilos) and her legs are bent but the straps are still just above her shoulders. I rang them to confirm if it is shoulder hieght and they said yes it is shoulder height and wieght not total length.
Yeah, his shoulders were close to the top of the straps already.
I actually emailed Britex about this and was told:
So, does anyone know who sets the standards? And aren't there different rules state-by-state...?:
Your concerns about longer weight restriction and higher weight limits are across the board and there are a lot of Parents out there like yourself that have requested this many times.
All Child Restraint manufactures must comply with Australian Standards and unfortunately as you already know, child restraints can only stay reward facing up until 12kgs.
Until the Australian standards change their standards that?s when child manufactures can sell and manufacture child restraints with higher weight for reward facing.
Good question. I think though if there are Australian Standards, they rule over any statewide standards.
Now to find out who sets the Australian standards......