FAQs

Yes, there are vehicle restraint options available in Australia that are designed specifically for children with disabilities and medical conditions. This includes special purpose car seats and harnesses/vests.

However, it is important to know that many Australian standard car seats (that you can buy from mainstream stores) are also suitable for children with disabilities and medical conditions. For example, there are forward facing car seats with built-in harnesses. This type of car seat (Type G) is suitable for 50 per cent of children up to at least 10 years of age (labelled as suitable from 6 months to 8 years of age). However once a child outgrows this type of car seat they still may need to transition to a special purpose car seat.

Yes. The Australian/New Zealand Standard 4370 Restraint of children with disabilities, or medical conditions, in motor vehicles.

AS/NZS 4370 was last reviewed before the introduction of the NDIS, and the establishment of MACA. To ensure this standard remains relevant and reflects recent research MACA requested a review of AS/NZS 4370, which has been approved. Work is expected to commence late 2022.

In the interim MACA's website brings this standard to life and also provides timely access to information based on our latest research and learnings.

Special purpose car seats are available through disability equipment suppliers who work closely with allied health professionals. Unlike Australian standard car seats they comply with overseas standards or regulations, and come with an extensive range of optional accessories. The selection, issuing and fitment of special purpose car seats therefore requires the allied health professional to work closely with the supplier and other local supports where available.

Our Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP) will develop information resources to ensure allied health professionals and parents have access to the information they need to support safe use.

We have undertaken a scan of Australia to identify all the special purpose car seats available today. In addition, we have scanned the globe to find out what special purpose car seats are available.

We want to ensure that Australian children have access to the most suitable and safest options available in the world today. And of course we want to take this one step further, which is why we have initiated and established the world leading Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP).

All special purpose car seats comply with an overseas standard or regulation. In addition, our Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP) independently assesses special purpose car seats to ensure that allied health professionals and parents have access to all the information they need to support safe use.

No. Harnesses/vests do not comply with Australian standards as there is currently no standard for harnesses and vests.

However, Standards Australia is currently developing a new standard (AS 5384 Accessories for seat belts used in motor vehicles). The development work started in February 2022 and will consider the inclusion of harnesses and vests.

MACA is represented on the standard committee responsible for developing this standard.

Despite harnesses and vests being the most commonly prescribed device by Australian allied health professionals, there is a lack of standards and research relating to their design, construction, safety performance and use.

To address these gaps MACA sought funding support and is now leading an Austroads project, in collaboration with The George Institute for Global Health, to research and investigate harnesses/vests for both Australia and New Zealand.

Most of the harness and vest manufacturer’s instructions advise that the products must always be used with the vehicle seatbelt.

In addition, two harnesses/vests, the Hemco harness and some models of the EZ-ON Vest, use the vehicle anchorage point, and convert the lap-sash seatbelt to a lap-only belt.

Model Australian Road Rules (ARR) were first introduced in 1999 and form the basis of the road rules in each state and territory.

The National Transport Commission is responsible for maintaining the Australian Road Rules, which are reviewed every two years. Many jurisdictions copy the model law, however MACA’s review of each state and territory’s road rules impacting on the transport of children with disabilities and medical conditions revealed examples of states and territories that have not followed the model law.

Our research program provides the evidence-base and lived experience understanding to ensure that future changes to the Australian Road Rules, and state and territory road rules meet the needs of our community.

MACA is working closely with road agencies and the National Transport Commission. Any changes to state and territory road rules will be reflected in our templates and information resources.

This is because there has been limited research and understanding of the transport needs of children with disabilities and medical conditions.

This means that their needs have not been considered equal to the needs of children without disabilities and medical conditions when unable to travel in an Australian standard car seat.

MACA is changing this - our research and activities are paving the way for national evidence-informed policies, programs and training.

We have extensively reviewed and documented the current legislative environment which means we have a deep understanding of each state and territory's road laws. This is enabling us to work closely with state and territory road agencies, in both the road and vehicle policy areas as our research makes visible where the law is working, not working, and where unnecessary barriers impact on the road safety and well-being of children and families.

We expect to see road rule and vehicle standard changes relating to the use of seatbelt buckle covers and special purpose car seats in the coming 12 months to two years. Our website, information resources and training will be kept up-to-date to reflect any changes.