Special purpose car seats

The Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4370:2013 Restraint of children with disabilities, or medical conditions, in motor vehicles, defines a special purpose car seat as:

A child restraint that is specifically designed and designated as suitable for use by a child with a disability, or medical condition, that complies with one or more of the following standards:

(a) Australian/New Zealand Standard 1754

(b) Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213

(c) US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213

(d) Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 44

Note: ECE r129 and EU r2017/745 will be added to this definition in the upcoming review of AS/NZS 4370.

No, as the Australian standard does not provide safety and performance requirements for special purpose car seats. However, MACA has reviewed the special purpose car seats available in Australia and they comply with one (or more) of the following overseas standards/regulations:

• Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213
• US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213
• Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 44
• Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 129 (this is the newer standard)
• European Regulation 2017/745 on medical devices

There are a number of key differences between Australian and overseas standards/regulations, for example:

Weight vs height

Australian standard car seats use shoulder height markers and approximate age to guide selection, and the newer European ECE r129 uses height. Whereas ECE r44 only uses occupant weight (up to 36 kg). In contrast the US (FMVSS) and Canadian (CMVSS) have no weight requirements, therefore special purpose car seats from these locations permit higher occupant weight.

Side impact protection

Side impact protection is a key feature of Australian standard car seats. This is why Australian standard car seats have big side wings that surround the child’s head area. Until recently Australia had the only standard in the world requiring side impact testing. However in recent times it has been introduced in the European standard (ECE r129), and has been proposed for inclusion in the US and Canadian Standard. This means we may see improved side impact protection features for some special purpose car seats in the future.

In the meantime MACA’s Australian safety assessment program (AuSAP) includes some side impact testing to ensure allied health professionals and parents have information about any limitations of special purpose car seats. We are fortunate today that many new vehicles have side impact protection features, such as side curtain airbags.

Certification processes

To comply with the Australian Standard for child restraints, car seats are required to undergo third party certification before they can be sold on the market. In comparison some overseas standards/regulations use a self-certification process.

Special purpose car seats comply with one or more overseas standards/regulations, however until the establishment of the Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP) we had no independent information about their safety and performance. Refer to MACA's national product register of special purpose car seats.

MACA maintains a national product register of special purpose car seats.

To ensure a suitable range of special purpose car seats for Australia MACA regularly scans the global market for new products and product updates. We then work directly with Australian importers to promote access to products that may be suitable for Australia. Further, MACA improves knowledge about the safety and performance of special purpose car seats through its world leading Australian Safety Assessment Program (AuSAP).

This depends on the child’s individual needs. If there’s no Australian standard car seat suitable for a child’s transport needs then a special purpose car seat needs to be considered, regardless of the child’s age.

Some states and territories require a medical certificate to be carried in the vehicle the child is travelling in when using a special purpose car seat, and in some cases an Advice to Parent form. You can find out more about state and territory requirements here.

Special purpose car seats tend to be heavier than Australian standard car seats, and are commonly used with optional items such as the swivel base and foot support. Therefore some special purpose car seats may not be suitable for moving from vehicle to vehicle.

MACA recommends that if the prescribed special purpose car seat is not suitable to move across vehicles that a special purpose car seat is provided for each vehicle the child regularly travels in. This ensures that the child is able to travel safely and comfortably at all times.