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The National Transport Commission (NTC) is inviting Australians to have their say on proposed updates to child restraint rules in the Australian Road Rules (ARR), as part of a national effort to improve safety and inclusivity for children travelling in vehicles.
The public consultation is open from Monday 27 October to Friday 19 December 2025. It invites feedback on an issues paper looking at options and asks key questions to help update child restraint guidelines so that they are based on the latest safety research and global best practice.
NTC CEO Michael Hopkins said the review is a critical step toward protecting Australia’s vulnerable road users.
“We know that child restraints and seat belts save lives. This review is about making sure our laws are easy to understand, inclusive, and based on the best available evidence,” Michael said.
The review focuses on four key areas:
- appropriate use of child restraints.
- adult seat belts and seating position.
- children with medical conditions or disabilities.
- with additional items including taxis and rideshare services.
Recent data shows that 75% of fatally injured children were not restrained in line with best practice for their age, and 34% of children move out of booster seats too soon. The NTC’s last comprehensive review of child restraint rules in the ARR was in 2007, with updates introduced by each state and territory across 2009 - 2010.
The NTC is working closely with advocacy groups, health professionals, industry, and governments to ensure the revised rules are practical and inclusive for all children under 16, including those with disabilities or medical conditions.
Get Involved
Australians are encouraged to:
- read the issues paper and fact sheets available on the project webpage
- submit feedback via the online portal or survey
- register for a webinar to learn more and ask questions
There will be a second round of consultation in early 2026. This will be an impact analysis outlining the costs and benefits of any proposed changes to the child restraint rules.
Recommendations from the review will be considered by transport ministers in the second half of 2026.
About the Australian Road Rules
The Australian Road Rules are model laws that form the basis of the road rules in each Australian state and territory. They are a framework for road safety and traffic regulations, not national laws that are in force across Australia. For the most part, each state and territory has copied the Rules into their own laws, however, not every provision of the Rules has been copied exactly in each state and territory.
For more information or to get involved visit the project webpage or contact the project team childrestraintsreviewproject@ntc.gov.au.