Northern Territory
Forms and templates for allied health professionals
Complying with road laws
In the Northern Territory there are road laws relating to the transport of children with disabilities and medical conditions (under 16 years). These rules exempt the driver from transporting a child in an Australian standard car seat. There are different rules for transporting children under 7 years, and children 7 to under 16 years.
The are also exemption provisions for the legal use of seatbelt buckle covers.
Note: MACA is currently unable to provide advice for 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.

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.
Note: This requirement applies to harnesses and vests that modify the use of the vehicle seatbelt.

Children 7 to under 16 years
The driver must carry a medical certificate that states a medical practitioner believes the person should not wear a seatbelt because of a medical condition or disability.

Seatbelt buckle covers
MACA worked closely with the Northern Territory Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) to improve access and legal use requirements for seatbelt buckle covers. MACA is pleased to share that this has resulted in the Northern Territory government publishing a Government Gazette - Prescribed Device Exemption.
For more information read our 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.
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