CREP report card on the safest car seats for children prompts call for improvements

08 May 2015

New Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) ratings released today show that of six tested child restraints, not one achieved a five-star protection rating.

CREP awards each child restraint and booster seat a star rating for protection and ease of use, with five stars being the highest rating possible for each category.

Out of the rearward-facing restraints, 'Chicco Keyfit Plus' and the 'Nuna Pipa' both achieved four stars, while 'Steelcraft Strider' scored a three-star safety rating.
 
Two new ISOFIX restraints were tested – the 'Safe-n-Sound Trufix' and the 'Maxi-Cosi Euro'.
 
ISOFIX is an alternate car restraint attachment method that doesn't use an adult seatbelt. Only ISOFIX restraints that meet Australian standards are acceptable by law.
 
The forward-facing restraint, 'Safe-n-Sound Trufix' received a four-star rating. The convertible restraint the 'Maxi-Cosi Euro' received a three-star protection rating when used in a rearward-facing position but only two stars when used in a forward-facing position.

Another convertible child restraint, 'Infa Secure Cosi compact' received a three-star rating when used in a rearward-facing position and up to four stars when used facing forward.
 
The restraints ranged from two to four stars on their ease of use.
 
The program - supported by a group of government agencies and motoring organisations, including RACV, VicRoads and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) - helps parents to choose the safest restraint for their child.
 
To ensure that parents are always armed with the most up-to-date information possible, testing intervals have recently been changed so that tests will be conducted several times a year instead of annually, testing a smaller number of restraints each time.
 
RACV Manager Road User Behaviour, Melinda Spiteri said manufacturers need to work harder to improve the level of protection offered by the restraints in order to achieve a maximum five star rating.
 
"RACV is disappointed that none of the child restraints tested most recently achieved a five-star safety rating. While all of the restraints met the Australian Standard, some performed better than others in crash tests.
 
"We urge all parents and carers to view the latest child car seat test results and see which models provide the best protection for their child.
 
"The childcarseats.com.au website allows parents to compare the scientifically tested restraints and then evaluate protection scores, ease-of-use scores and dimensions.
 
"Make sure you install and use car seats and booster seats according to the instructions, or visit one of RACV's fitting stations across Victoria to have the restraint installed by an expert – call 13 RACV or visit racv.com.au/childrestraints for details," Ms Spiteri said.

VicRoads Director, Vehicle and Road Use Policy James Holgate warned parents and carers that they were legally obliged to ensure all passengers were correctly restrained when travelling in a vehicle.
 
"All occupants travelling in a motor vehicle, including the driver, must be restrained by a device appropriate for their age, whether that be via a child restraint, a booster seat or an adult seatbelt," Mr Holgate said.
 
TAC Senior Manager Road Safety, Samantha Cockfield said with more than 500 children killed around the world and thousands injured as a result of road trauma every day, it was critical to know which child restraints offered the greatest protection.
 
"Children are among our most vulnerable road users. We know the chances of them being seriously injured or killed in a crash are seven times greater if they're not restrained correctly," Ms Cockfield said.
 
"Ensuring children are restrained in a properly fitting car seat or booster, appropriate for their age and size, will greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury."
 
The release of latest results coincides with the Third United Nations Global Road Safety Week campaign #SaveKidsLives calling for action to improve road safety for children around the world.
 
All of the restraints tested meet the 2013 Australian standard for child restraints.
 
CREP is supported by the TAC, VicRoads, RACV, Transport for NSW's Centre for Road Safety, NRMA Motoring and Services and the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RACWA). The full results are available from childcarseats.com.au and parents and carers can now easily compare different models.
 
The road rules in Victoria require:

• A child under six months to travel in a rearward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness
• A child aged six months to under four years to travel in either a rearward facing or forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness. The type of child restraint will depend on the child's size
• A child aged four years to under seven years to travel in either a forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness, or a booster seat. The type of restraint will depend on the child's size
• A child aged seven years to under 16 years to travel in either a booster seat or an adult seatbelt. The type of restraint will depend on the child's size
• A person 16 years and over to travel in an adult seatbelt.