Australian Capital Territory
Forms and templates for allied health professionals
Complying with road laws and vehicle standards
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) there are road laws relating to the transport of children with disabilities and medical conditions (under 16 years). The road laws exempt the driver from transporting a child in an Australian standard car seat. However, there are different rules for transporting children under 7 years, and children 7 to under 16 years.
The are also vehicle standard exemption requirements for the legal use of seatbelt buckle covers.
MACA is currently unable to provide advice regarding engineering certification requirements relating to safe restraint use. We are currently seeking support to develop national guidelines to assist in this area.
Children under 7 years (special purpose car seats)
The driver is exempt from transporting a child in an Australian standard car seat, providing:
* the driver is carrying a medical certificate that states the child is unable to travel in an Australian standard car seat because of their medical condition or disability.
* the child is travelling in a child restraint designed for a person with a disability or medical condition.
* the driver is complying with any conditions stated in the medical certificate.
Children under 7 years (modified car seat, harness/vest)
The driver is exempt from transporting a child in an Australian standard car seat, and able to transport the child in a modified car seat or harness/vest providing:
* the driver is carrying a medical certificate that states the person should not wear a seatbelt because of a disability or medical condition.
* the person is complying with any conditions stated in the medical certificate.
Note: This requirement applies to harnesses and vests that modify the use of the vehicle seatbelt.
Children 7 to under 16 years
The driver is exempt from transporting a child in an Australian standard car seat or vehicle seatbelt, providing:
* the driver is carrying a medical certificate that states a medical practitioner believes the person should not wear a seatbelt because of a medical condition or disability.
* the person is complying with any conditions stated in the medical certificate.
Seatbelt buckle covers
The ACT Government (Transport Canberra and City Services) advises that seatbelt buckle covers are not compliant with the Australian Design Rules applicable to seatbelts, or the ACT Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2000 (Vehicle Registration Regulation).
Parents/guardians can apply for an exemption under section 104 of the Vehicle Registration Regulation by contacting the Vehicle Inspection and Technical Unit in Access Canberra via email vitu@act.gov.au or phone 02 6207 7236.
For more information refer to MACA's buckle cover model policy.
Advice to Parent form
MACA recommends that prescribers complete the Advice to Parent form and that it be carried by the driver in the vehicle the child is travelling in at all times.
Prescribers' sample referral to medical practitioner
Provides standard wording to help prescribers write a referral letter to the medical practitioner for the purpose of assisting the parent to get a medical certificate.
Sample medical certificate wording
Provides example wording that the prescriber can provide to the medical practitioner to support parents requesting a medical certificate.
The forms and sample letter templates in this section of our website are strictly for the use of health professionals. MACA bears no responsibility for unauthorised use of these forms as this may place children at risk.
