Improving child restraint rules

The NTC has reviewed the child restraint provisions in the Australian Road Rules and recently completed a consultation on our issues paper. 

A second consultation will be undertaken, followed by final recommendations being submitted to transport ministers for approval in late 2026.

The child restraint rules within the ARR were last reviewed in 2010. Since that time, there have been significant changes to child restraint design and research into best practice use. NTC will work with state and territory jurisdictions, as well as relevant stakeholders to review the current ARR relating to child restraints. There will be a specific focus on the following areas:  

• Appropriate use of child restraints
• Adult seatbelts and seating position
• Improving the level of protection for children with medical conditions and disabilities
• Additional items including taxis and rideshare

The NTC developed an issues paper exploring options for updating the rules on child restraints. To assist respondents, we also developed a one page summary and four factsheets:

• Project and consultation overview
• Appropriate use of child restraints
• Adult seat belts and seating position
• Children with medical conditions or disabilities

A public webinar was held to share information about the project and give participants the chance to ask questions.

A key part of the review includes the development of an Issues Paper and an Options Paper. To support this, we have established an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to provide independent, evidence-based advice to the NTC, helping us better understand current challenges, their impacts, and potential solutions.

The EAG includes representatives from state and territory governments, law enforcement, advocacy organisations, road safety experts, research institutions, manufacturers, installers, and medical and allied health professionals.

Input from the EAG plays a vital role in shaping our work and informing the broader public consultation process.
 

We are committed to engaging a broad range of stakeholders at key milestones throughout the project.

Following our initial research and discussions with experts, we undertook a public consultation. This provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to comment on evidence-based options for improving child restraint requirements.

A second round of public consultation will be held in the second quarter of 2026 to further refine the proposed options and inform the impact analysis.

Final recommendations will be presented to Ministers for approval in the second half of 2026.